Forget Your Brother Not
by DeviWan
Summary: After our fight, Itachi lost his memories and I can't bring myself to kill him. "What are you going to do to him once he remembers again?" People ask me that all the time, and each time I don't answer, but killing him was not my answer. Sasu/Ita yaoi. DISCONTINUED. Currently being rewritten. Look out for its newer version: 'Yours Truly, Desperately"
1. Prologue

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi (yes, it's Uchihacest. And guess what… Itachi is uke!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

**Prologue**

I blow another fire ball at him, but of course he dodges it. I don't really expect them to hit him, to even go anywhere close to him, so I don't really know why I shoot them at him anymore. But I suppose when you want to hurt someone so desperately you throw whatever you have at them, including fireballs that he learnt when he is six years old. This is a different case though. It's not every day that someone hunts down their only brother, family, so that they could kill him. And at this point I'm pretty sure I'm the only one doing that, hunting down their own brother. I've yet to see otherwise.

I throw another set of shuriken at Itachi, swift and precise, and am surprised that he miss-dodges one. That little victory feels almost too good to be true. This is the final battle that I've been preparing, shredded blood and sweat for. I've spent my life gaining power, whatever way I can, just so I could end this man's life. But damn does it take long. We've been fighting for the last three hours, both of us are worn out and we're losing stamina fast. My limbs are suddenly too heavy, to stiff and it hurts to just even run. My brother doesn't show it, but I know it's the same for him. I could see that Itachi is just as worn out as I am, and childish as it may be, but it makes me feel very, very happy.

I summon a windmill shuriken, spin it for a while to get momentum and throw it at the other man, quickly slipping a shadow shuriken under the first one. He's going to dodge it without even breaking a sweat, that is what I thought. So imagine my utter surprise when he quivers and coughs, only able to dodge one of the shuriken. The other one, hidden in the shadow of the first one tears mercilessly through his cloak and cut through his thigh. Again, there's that numbness that makes me doubt if this isn't another one of his illusions. It's really too good to be true.

He continues to hack up his lungs and I frown, all the while trying to gain my own breath back. Is that blood seeping through his fingers? It's dark, and it's red, and it's not caused by me. My heart jumps at the sight. He is in pain… and I am not the one causing it. Rage, hot and consuming, floods through me as I realise that this _sickness_ of his has already done half of my job for me. It's not a good realisation. Have he been in a fight before me? Is he already injured from another battle?

He gets up from his knees and wipes the blood on his hand on his battered cloak. He stands back up straight, as if nothing has happened and he has not just coughed up half his lungs. He isn't even out of breath! I watch warily as Itachi performed a hand sign that I've never seen before. His hands are shaking, as if whatever sign he's performing is trying to push his hands apart. It's the same force as trying to force opposite ends of magnets together. His nimble fingers flew through the unfamiliar signs with ease, but I almost sense a bit of desperation in his movements. His eyes bleed into the Mengekkyou Sharingan. It's is a slower process this time, and I understand that he's almost out of chakra. My own set of Sharingan spin warily, copying whatever jutsu he plans. If this unknown jutsu is going for the kill, I would at least like to take him with me.

"It has been a good fight, Otouto. But it cannot go on any longer," he announces, his voice hoarse and low and echoes over the destruction we've caused from our fight. It's moments like these that make me doubt if he's even human anymore.

My blood boils, races faster and harder through my veins. He speaks as if this whole time I've been entertaining him. I want nothing more than to crush his limbs one by one, starting at his wrist; where he broke mine years ago. That seems a better option than killing him instantly.

"Do your worse, murderer," I hissed. Whatever jutsu he has planned, it is powerful. The sheer amount of chakra gathered there is amazing, I admit. I'm surprised he still has that much chakra left in that thin, sickly body of his. That jutsu is going to wipe me out, maybe worse, but I have it copied. So if I'm going down, so is he. I've lose way too much for him, for me to lose here. He's taken everything… and in a twisted sense; Itachi is all I have left.

"Very well," and with that he becomes a blur, even for my Sharingan. Suddenly he's all over the place. One moment he is on a crumbled wall, the next he's in my face. He plays with me, jumping places to keep my attention on his figure and not on his hands. But he fails, because I am staring at his hands, locked tightly in the Monkey sign. He pauses, but doesn't stop. For that split second when he pauses he thrusts his pale hands in my face, my forehead to be exact.

For half a second everything stands very still. My heart beats with the final rush of adrenaline, the sound of howling wind a constant drum in my ears and my muscles tensed with anticipation. At the same moment I shove the jutsu back at his forehead too. We must look like each other's reflection right now, I suspect. I've never done this type of jutsu before, so I don't know how much chakra to pump into it or how to even control it. However, if the jutsu has more chakra in it, then I might just win this battle.

With a last effort, I channel my remaining chakra into my hands, to the very tips of my fingers and through the space between us. The air between us shimmers, thick with sheer energy. But I am right to add more chakra into my jutsu. I watch with morbid satisfaction as Itachi's eyes widen as he attempts to dodge my jutsu. Too slow, my murderer of a brother is to slow. Or maybe he miscalculated. He thinks he doesn't need all his chakra to defeat me, but that's his mistake and he's going to pay for it. The bastard thought he is invincible. My hand clutches at his forehead and I don't let go. Chakra seeped from me like a river. I feel Itachi's tainted chakra flow into me, if only a little, but he is much too slow in his arrogance… and so is his jutsu.

My family's shrine shakes at the impact the jutsu makes by colliding with Itachi. My jutsu tears through his like paper. His hands are only but a slight brush to my forehead before the jutsu throws him back. He flies back several yards, before slamming into the only part of the wall that remains standing. I am disappointed when I don't hear a gasp or a groan in pain. He's good at hiding his pain, I'll give him that. I trot over to his beat up form when the dust settles. His shoulders are still heaving up and down, a sure sign that he is alive, though it looks like breathing is a little too difficult. Not for long though. As soon as I can grab his neck and squeeze till he dies, that's when I'll finally be happy.

I reach with shaky hands for his neck. My revenge would be so much better if he's conscious to suffer, but I'll take what I can get. I have to hurry, any longer and my comrades will come after me. I'm not sure how long Suigetsu can hold off that shark man that's always with my brother. I finally wrap my fingers around his neck and electricity shoots through my arms. I must have unconsciously added lightning into the jutsu. I wonder what damage I did to his head.

I freeze when I hear a small breathy whimper from Itachi. It's almost silent. His sound of pain is music to my ears, too precious because of how few there are. I want to hear more. I want to be his everything; I want to be the one who decides everything for him. I want to decide when he dies, when he feels, when he eats, everything. After all these years of making me suffer, he is going to pay. I'm going to make him suffer, just like me, only so much worse. He is going to be in so much pain he would wish he were dead. Suddenly death seems too good for him, too much of an escape and definitely too merciful.

"Wake up. Do you really think that faking unconsciousness would save your life?" I spit my words at him; my fingers still lingering near his covered neck. It's so close; victory is so close it hurts.

He opens his eyes, and I'm surprised when I'm met with a pair of charcoal eyes, and not the Sharingan. I can't remember the last time I've seen those eyes, and I am angry that he makes me remember. Is he trying to get me to think that my Aniki is somewhere in there? So that I could spare his life? He is pathetic; words could not describe my absolute hatred for this man. He's so miserable that I'm beginning to suspect that death is really, truly too good for him…

He is still staring at me with those haunting eyes of his though. If he is waiting for me to kill him, he's got another thing coming for him.

"Don't look so scared, _aniki_," I sneer. "You won't die anytime soon." He doesn't look any less scared, if not a little afraid.

I grab the collar of his torn Akatsuki cloak, soaked in blood. "Get up," I command. I barely have enough strength to hold myself upright. Does he really expect me to carry him all the way to my hideout? But I suppose he doesn't have any other choice, if he does, his pride would never let him be carried.

"Giving me the silent treatment? Stooping so low as to use childish methods on me… How the mighty has fallen," I mumble as I throw him not-so-gently onto my shoulder. I lose balance for a bit because I put a little too much power into hoisting him up. For such a powerful S-Ranked criminal, he is pretty light, but the torn cloak that smelled strongly of blood doesn't help. I scrunch my nose in disgust. How many innocent people has he slain in this cloak?

"You're pathetic, you know. So weak that you can't even walk on your own. Getting carried by your own brother, you put the name Uchiha to shame," I have no idea why I'm the one doing all the talking. Usually he's the one talking, taunting me to get stronger with words that cut too deep. Now that _I_ am stronger than him, he gives me the silent treatment. He's probably in shock, after witnessing his own jutsu being fired right back at him. I obviously can't help my trademark smirk from forming at my bleeding lips. Yes, truly the mighty has finally fallen.

"I am not pathetic," he finally wheezes out. "Am I?"

And I can only hiss in frustration; just hearing his voice makes my blood boil. God, how much I hate this man. "What the hell are you going at? If you think you can talk your way out of this, then you're damn wrong. You're going to live and I'm going to make you suffer!" It's remarkable how a lot of people have tried to make me lose my cool, and all this demon has to do is talk. I guess that just shows how much I hate him.

This man who murdered his own kin at the age of twelve; this man who put his younger brother's life in hell just to test his capabilities; this man, who I absolutely hate with all my worth, is going to suffer. I am going to kill him slowly and painfully as each day goes on. And I am going to damn right enjoy it.

I stumble a few times walking away from our battle site. My shoulders are already aching from the extra weight of my enemy. He slips a few times too and I have to jolt him back up for balance. He goes quiet and I am afraid he'd died without my permission. That isn't allowed… it just isn't!

"Where are we going?"

"Shut up!" I hiss.

"Who are you?"

I froze mid-step. The soft spoken question echoes in my mind, again and again. Every fibre in my being yells to me that this isn't right, that this question should never ever slip from Itachi's lips, especially towards me. My entire being screams, desperate, that whatever happened, Itachi should never ever ask me that. He'd have to always know who I am… just like I'll always, always know who he is.

"W-what?"

* * *

Please Review.


	2. Chapter 1

Tittle: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi  
Disclaimer: I owe nothing.

**Home At Last**

I poke another dry stick at the small fire that Juugo lit, wincing in the process. I look over to the innocent looking man. Everything about my brother screams innocent now. We got to this small cave a few hours ago and I immediately had Karin look at my brother. She only confirmed what I didn't want to know. Itachi had amnesia. It's almost too ridiculous to be true; it's so ridiculous how the Uchiha Itachi can fall so easily. The thought has me sighing under my breath and rubbing the bridge of my nose. I've grown up too fast, I know that for sure. Right now I'm supposed to be a teenager whose actions are controlled by hormones, but _no_. I have to be a missing-nin hunted by his own best friend for treason and wanting nothing but his brother's pain. That's a little too twisted if you ask me.

"Oi, watch where you drop that thing, fish-face!" screeches Karin, her voice a piercing sound, as she kicks Suigetsu's gigantic sword away. She and Suigetsu remind me a lot of Naruto and Sakura, maybe that's why I'm having a headache now. Unlikely though.

"What 'cha talking about, fatty?"

"You nearly crushed poor Itachi with that gigantic thing you call 'sword'!"

"'Poor Itachi'? Do you realise who you're talking about? That guy can kill you in an instant"

Karin patted Itachi's hair, which she was braiding a few minutes ago, and cooed "There, there poor baby. He doesn't mean that". Her words, too sweet and spoken to the wrong person, sicken me.

I've had enough. Itach is my prisoner and the whole purpose would be defeated if the prisoner is spoiled rotten and taken care of. The moment Karin found out that Itachi had amnesia; she took the responsibility of taking care of him. Something about him looking like a doll. I hardly think so, what with his surprisingly skinny limbs, his ugly body bruised all over, his face ruined with cuts and wounds. He is hardly anything worthy to look at.

"Itachi, get over here now," I hiss. These caves echo, but with the way Suigetsu and Karin have been going at it like an old married couple, I probably shouldn't worry about attracting enemies. If there are any enemies, they'd be here already. Itachi wordlessly gets up, with some difficulty due to his injured limbs, a fact that I'm very proud of, and glides over to my side of the cave. I've found out that while the murderer lost his memories, his body hasn't forgotten how to move in his own personal way. He is, despite being injured, still very graceful and his face remained cold and lifeless.

He gracefully sits down beside me and an unidentified emotion bubbles up in the pit of my stomach. I dismiss it just like all the other emotions that come with the name Itachi. We sit silently for a while, but Itachi hasn't said a word since he asked who I was and I nearly beat the crap out of him. It infuriates me when I realise that the feeling bubbling inside me is hope. A part of me hopes that I can start all over with my brother. A part of me hopes that now that he doesn't remember a thing, that I could put fake memories of him being a loving brother, a brother who would protect me instead of torture me. I instantly crush those hopes though. Nothing can ever be the same.

"You know who I am, correct?" his cold, unreadable voice cuts through my thoughts.

"Yeah," I sneer. I can't imagine how I could ever be nice to him now. Even if he doesn't remember being a total bastard who ruined my life.

"I must've been unkind to you. You're awfully hostile to me," he mumbles. He's facial expressions, or lack there for, stays cold and indifferent, as if nothing can bother him.

"Hn". That's when it hits me. If the murderer doesn't remember anything, then how the hell am I supposed to find out why he killed the Uchiha clan? The thought that I would never find out had me slamming my fist against the wall of the cave. Itachi didn't even jump; I suspect that his shinobi instinct is still intact.

The sight of Itachi's cold yet curious gaze has me throwing him out of the mouth of the cave and into a tree. I follow with clear intentions on my face as my brother slides ungracefully on to the moist floor of autumn. I don't give him time to breathe. Roughly I grab his neck and slam the back of his head into the tree, making a large dent as barks flew everywhere. I finally hear him let out a tiny gasp and that is all I need to hear. I am reminded of our earlier fight, when the only reason I kept him alive is to hear him gasp and groan in pain as I torture him. At this point even I know I've become a sick, sadistic bastard. I won't even be offended if anyone calls me that.

"You listen to me, demon," I hiss into his ear, "Don't think that just because you can't remember anything, I'll let you go. You're going to stay with me and serve out your crimes. You've done plenty of horrible things in this lifetime, so now you're going pay for it. It doesn't matter if you remember it or not, because I do and that's all that matters". My hands tighten a little more, sure that I'll leave bruises.

"I highly doubt that you're my little brother," he manages to wheeze out. But what he says affected me more than I can possibly imagine. I don't really know how what he says affect me, but it does and with blind rage I throw him to the side. I watch him skid through the dirt for a few metres. I am aware of the Sharingan feeding on my anger, threatening to snag Itachi in it and break him limb from limb.

It hurts. It hurts more than I am allowed to admit. To have him say that he doubts that I am his brother hurts very much. I hate him; I loathe him with every fibre of my being for what he did to our family, to me, but that is a subject that we'd never brush. He could be a monster, an ugly worm and I could be a power-crazed, arrogant prick, but we'll always be brothers. It's a fact that will never be changed. Inside me there is a little boy who seeks nothing more than his aniki's acknowledgement. That is the boy that wants nothing more than to have his brother hug him and hold him, the boy that wants a piggy-back ride. That boy is a man now and instead of crying, he is venting out his anger through his fists.

"How would _you_ know?" I spit at him. "You're the one who put his brother through hell. You're the one who damned my childhood and made me grow up too fast. So what would you know of being a brother? How would you know how brothers act to one another!"

"Otouto," he says as his hand comes up to grab my wrist, which is holding his bruised neck. "The real punishments will only begin once I regain my memories. Until then, I suggest that you not punish me, because it would be futile. But you know what else?" He leans closer to me, as if to share a secret. "I… have a sudden urge to kill you".

What the hell? So all this time he's been fighting his instincts to survival? No wonder he looks a bit tense. He is right though, I'd have to regain his memories, and then the real fun begins. But how do I regain it? I suppose we'd have to start with what made him lose his memories in the first place. The jutsu did this to him, and he's lost his memories, so that option's out of the question. We'd need a medic nin and the only good medic nin that's still alive is the Fifth Hokage. I can't waste time on local villager medics, if something involving the Sharingan is concerned, and then it's better to seek out someone familiar with it. And that's The Fifth Hokage.

I slowly get off of my demon of a brother; once again an unknown feeling bubbling inside my guts. If it feels too much like excitement, I ignore it. "Hurry up and get up. We're heading out tomorrow," I say to him.

"Why don't you just tell me of my crimes?"

"Tsk" I don't answer him. For the moment, being in his presence riles me up too much.

"Sasuke-kun! I missed you so much, you know. You are gone so long and I was stuck here with this annoying fish". The comment from Karin stirs up another argument with Suigetsu. I can always count on him to distract her. Once I feel that she is distracted enough I announce, "We're heading out tomorrow".

"Where to this time?" Suigetsu asks.

"Konoha,"

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

"Oi, pretty boy! Can't you go any faster? I wanna make it there before I'm thirty".

"Fish-face, leave him alone. He's injured, can't you see? Oh wait, I forgot you're too stupid to look".

"Well if he's injured then why don't you carry him? You're beefy enough to". And that is all that is needed to start the same old routine.

I sigh, falling back purposely so that I can carry Itachi. I could see that he's obviously struggling, but he's body is probably used to pain and learnt to endure. He keeps his calm, slow pace and he's face is a mask of indifference. He's pace is way too slow though. He might have been faster if I hadn't thrown him around so much last night. Sometimes I would look back and thought he was sleep-walking. He's not as strong as he'd like to be anymore.

"Hurry it up will you? I've already spent half my life hunting you down. I don't want to spend the next half waiting for you to catch up," I snap as I scoop him up effortlessly and catch up with the others. Later I'll have Juugo carry him, when we're in the more occupied part of the forest, where we'll most likely run into trouble. I don't think Juugo views Itachi as anything other than harmless, which I find unreasonable, considering what he can _still_ do.

We, well Karin actually, had Itachi ditched his torn clothes and burnt Akatsuki cloak hours before, because it will attract too much attention and leave too obvious a trail. So Juugo kindly offered his spare set of clothing. But Juugo is a huge fellow, so the overly large T-shirt flaps about as we hop from tree to tree; giving the world a good view of Itachi's toned stomach. And if I happen to somehow find my sight set on it, it's total and utter coincidence.

"Konoha, what is this place like? Is it our home Otouto?" I haven't really bothered to fill him in on too much. That simple phrase 'our home' has that puny streak of hope that I crushed the other night springing back up to life, and I know that I won't be able to crush it this time around. It is this entire murderer's fault.

"...me Fish-face? Oh, let me tell you personally, baby. Konoha is the hidden village of the Fire Country. It is hidden deep into the heart of the thick forest of the Fire Country and is known as The Village Hidden in the Leaf. Its current Hokage is the Fifth Hokage. The Hokage is the stro-"

"Blah, blah, blah. Karin, you sound like an old hag lecturing her grandchildren. Oh, wait, I forget that you are one," interrupted Suigetsu. Thank God. I knew I could count on him.

"Sasuke, there's a team of ANBU heading straight for us. What should we do?" Juugo says from the back. It's always good to hear his voice once in a while, instead of those two bickering idiots.

"We do nothing. You guys don't worry, I won't let them harm us," I command. I gave them each a choice, whether they wanted to come with me or not, and they all chose to come. So they will be prepared for what to expect, I gave them a brief lecture on Konoha's rules and beliefs.

"They're close, we've gets about two minutes," Karin says. Speaking of which, I glance down and immediately a smirk comes on to my face. After all, it's not everyday that I get to see my murderous brother with his hair in two braided piggy-tails down his back. How the heck am I suppose to take him seriously as a killer and not a... a harmless, lifeless doll. He sure looks lifeless enough.

I jerk abruptly in surprise when I realise too late where my thoughts are heading. He is not like a doll at all. He is ugly; his skins are bruised and cut up. He is no longer the elegant killer he once was. He is nothing more than a prisoner of his own younger brother. Weak and vulnerable with no memories of whom he once was. He is pathetic. When he has his memories back, he is going to suffer for killing all those innocent people.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I groan... I mean growl, because Uchihas do not groan. How the hell did it come to this? That's right; the stupidly stubborn ANBU had decided to escort us to the Hokage's tower. We decided that it'd be better if Itachi acted natural, which means for him to stay silent and dangerous. But it's really hard to do that when Karin is braiding his hair into one fish-tailed braid. I really have no idea how I knew the names to these braids. Maybe I should just kill Itachi now to save my own sanity. If the ANBU are confused and a little disturbed, nobody mentioned it. They keep their eyes on Itachi, though, because apparently to them, he's a bigger threat than all of us.

I snap my head around when I hear a small gasp from Itachi. "It's big," he mumbles. Great, what's he on about now? Two hours ago he _nearly_ laughed at the sight of a bird. It would have been very disturbing though; to see a fully grown man giggling with _no_ expression on his face. Very disturbing indeed. I suppose that even though he can't remember much, his body still remembers how to sense chakra from all around, that's why he senses the black panther before we did. His body also must've remembered to keep his expressions off his face, thus giving him the cold hearted killer aura.

"It's beautiful," he whispers, staring with a cold yet curious face. The huge panther doesn't even stop to look at us; it just continues to stalk past our camp, but it is enough to raise even more suspicions from the ANBU.

We've just set up camp. Hopefully I'll manage to avoid questions from the ANBU till we get to Konoha. Karin calls Itachi over to, to my relief; put his hair into his usual style. That, of course, ruined any plan of acting natural. I smirk when I spot two of the ANBU rubbing their ears. The bickering between Karin and Suigetsu had them occupied for a while. They'll probably need hearing aids soon; I could always count on them to distract enemies.

I can see that the ANBU are tense, their muscles tight and ready to spring into action. They are on guard, anyone near Itachi would be. If only they know how weak and vulnerable he really is. I smirk, but it vanishes when I remember the other night, when he fought his instincts to cut my throat open. So his body remembers to operate as a shinobi then. There's something else too. It's so insignificant that I almost missed it completely. It's the way he looks at things. His eyes are always dark grey now, never the Sharingan, but I noted that when he noticed something far away, it's not through sight, but through chakra sensing. It's as if he can't see too well, but that's a ridiculous thought. This is the Uchiha Itachi, whose eyes everyone fears and admires. Eyesight can never be a problem for him.

Later in the night I would wonder if his body remembers our parents' blood running down his arms, or the feel of his blade cutting through their hearts. That little demon. The sooner I kill him, the better everything will be.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I walk slowly, with my comrades following behind me, through the deserted Uchiha district. We are aiming towards the main house, my house. Loneliness and grief stabs at me, but Itachi is here to suffer from the loneliness with me, so I feel much better. I think back to the meeting with the Fifth Hokage. She knows of the situation already, so I didn't need to explain. It seems she sent a spy to watch mine and Itachi's match, so she agreed to have a look at Itachi's head later. She assigned me and my comrades to six month of constant watch and not leaving the village, and another six month of missions no higher than B-ranked. I don't care about that though, I have Itachi, and that's all that matters to me.

"Juugo, I can walk by myself now," I hear Itachi say from the back of the group. I glance back and try not to say anything. I am more bothered by the picture of Itachi holding on to Juugo for support while also wearing his larger clothes. That unfamiliar feeling bubbled up again, a little too much like jealousy, and this time I'm fully blaming Itachi. He's doing this to me; bringing up emotions long buried, and he doesn't even know he's doing it. Or maybe he does, and just doesn't acknowledge it.

"Hurry it up, we don't have all day," I snap. I stalk back and roughly grab onto Itachi's arm, swinging him up onto my shoulder. Once again I lose balance; I had forgotten how light Itachi really is. I smirk when I hear him let out a small, pained breath. It seems that I nearly broke his leg the other day, when I threw him around near the cave.

I slowly open the door to my haunt house. It doesn't scare me this time; I have Itachi to suffer with me after all. I admit that I'm excited, to see Naruto again and to get Itachi's memories back. I tell myself that then; I'd be able to punish him without feeling guilty of hurting an innocent man. But a small voice that belongs to the little boy inside me says that I couldn't stand the thought of my aniki not remembering _me_. What bull-crap, it's ridiculous. I don't care if he remembers me or not. He is going to remember his crimes and he is going to suffer for it.

It surprises me how easily I can view this Itachi as an innocent person. To me, as long as he can't remember anything, I wouldn't be able to hurt him. So the only thing saving him from me is his condition. Lucky bastard. A strong, suddenly chakra spiked from behind me and I turn to see Jugo with a crazed smile. His eyes landed on Karin and the girl backed away. Dark marks spread across his face and I sigh. "Juugo, calm down." He catches my eyes and reluctantly releases a long breath. The marks slowly recede and his shoulders drop with a sigh of relief.

I turn back to the steps. I step in and am actually surprised when I see that the house is clean and sparkling.

"Sasuke-teme. You're back!" A loud and obnoxious voice shouts, followed by a perverted giggle in the background.

Ah, yes. Home at last.

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Since there's a next chapter, I doubt I'll get any reviews for this one. So... just go ahead and read the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 2

Tittle: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi  
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

**Adjusting**

I have to admit that what I am feeling right now is very close to happiness. Of course it could be closer, but I'll take what I can get. My old team came down earlier and cleaned the place up, storing the kitchen with ramen, courtesy of Naruto obviously. Right now he and Suigetsu were having an arm wrestling match; Naruto makes sure to stay well away from Itachi, despite knowing his condition. Juugu was outside playing with an owl and Sakura and Karin were having a polite bitching about who is better suited for my babies. What the hell?

It's really so much more than I deserve, and I can't say anything about it. I thought there would be more fighting, more awkwardness and silences, but we're back to square number two, where we're all friends. Naruto doesn't even think that I might run away again, and I'm not sure if that's stupidity or pure faith. He should be suspicious, though, because I'm not exactly here because I had a change of heart. I'm here for something totally selfish.

Kakashi took Itachi outside with a family photo album, to the back garden. He did it at my request; I don't want a welcoming party with Itachi in it. The party, if you can even call it that, lasts till almost midnight. My comrades tire to bed and I finally go outside to get Itachi.

I find him at the koi pond, staring at them with a cold yet curious expression. I'd hoped that now that he can't remember who he is, maybe he would be that easier to read, that little bit more open about his thoughts. I am wrong however. I'm confused, really confused. I don't know what to do with him. I know what to do with him when he remembers, when he's guilty. But I don't know what to do with him _now_. I suppose I should treat him well, now that he's innocent. But when he remembers again, how will I torture someone whom I was nice to a minute ago? See, I'm trying not to be nice to him now, so that I don't get attached. It's very hard to find logical reasoning in a time like this. And again… it's all because of Itachi!

"Oi, come on. We're going to bed," I say. He turns and stares at me expectantly and that's when I remember that he can't walk well on his own yet. I walk over and easily scoop him up, I only lose a bit of balance, not as much as before, but I still lose it. I'll have to learn to get used to it. Excitement runs through me, because this is the first time we're really going to be home. I still hate Itachi, have no doubt of that, but these are just twisted feelings. I take him to his old room and put him on his old bed. When I turn to walk out of his room, he catches my wrist.

"What is it?" I ask, straining my voice not to be so snappish, so mean.

"Sit," he commands and before I know it, my butt's on his bed. That is an old habit I have to get rid of, I'm the one in control now.

"You won't tell me what I did to you. I gathered that I am a… feared criminal," I have to snort at that. "You can at least tell me what you can. That would fasten the pace of collecting my memories back, wouldn't you agree?" he says, his voice taunting me, daring me to disagree. Damn him for being so smart and manipulative, even when he doesn't remember anything.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, I snatch my wrist back. "Fine, what do you want to know? If I can answer, then I will. If not, then I won't".

"How old am I?"

"Twenty one" he gives me a doubtful look, and I'm not even sure what that's about.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen"

"How come I'm always fighting not to kill you? Are you… are we enemies?" Once again, it hurts. To know that the old Itachi would be trying to kill me right now. It hurts, even though it shouldn't. But it's okay, I suppose, since I hate him so much.

"Because you were a ninja." That should be enough of an explanation. The word ninja has another set of words stringed to it, like: deadly, stealthy, cold, inhumane, fighter et cetera.

"Where are our parents?" that innocent question does it. I blink, let the words sink in and the next thing I know, I'm on him like a feeding lion. My left hand clamps tight around his neck and my right hand is in a seal. I recognise the seal, it's for chakra suppression, only allowing enough for the person to live and walk and breathe, but nothing more than that, not enough to even harm a fly. It's harmless to normal citizens, but on a ninja like Itachi, whose chakra reserve has always been big and there, the sudden loss would almost be deadly.

"Don't even fucking go there, bitch," I roar. My hand around his neck tightens, till I could feel hot, red liquid in my nails. I finish gathering chakra into the seal and slammed my right hand against his forehead.

He gasps and writhes, as he mechanically tries to force his chakra to come forth, to stay. His sharp nails dig into my wrist just as my nails dig into his neck. When I feel that he's weak enough, pathetic enough, I slowly pull my hands away and the room falls silent. The only sounds are Itachi's ragged breaths and the bugs outside. I smirk when I realise that I am the one who forced him into such state. That this shadow of the great Uchiha Itachi is of my own doing. No matter how innocent he is right now, his pain was still my pleasure. It's sweat revenge. I know that thought is wrong and twisted, but he's the one who put me in such state. And now he'll pay the prize of his brother's pain.

I smirk down at him. "This is called learning, Aniki. Soon enough you'll learn what not to talk about," I coo. I can feel it; my rational thoughts slipping away, along with the calm and peace. My mental state hasn't been the same since he used the Mengekou Sharingan on me years ago, when he was trying to capture Naruto. But as I've said many times before, it doesn't matter. As long as I have him to torture, then everything's fine.

With a final command, "Go to sleep," I walk to my own room. For once I sleep without doubting if I'll ever find my brother again. There's no doubt tonight, and there will never be doubt again. I'm not letting him go.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I wake up to the smell of eggs and ramen... and of course the sound of bickering voices. I allow myself a tiny smile; I haven't slept that well in years. It's ruined, however, when the guilt from what I did last night catches up to me. There is no way in hell am I taking the seal off of him though. Itachi got what he deserves. Of course he'd be the one to take a smile off my face so early in the morning.

I get out of bed and took a long shower. Suigetsu, Itachi and I have to use my father's clothes, while Juugo uses my uncles from down the street. Karin has all the female Uchihas clothes to herself. Once I finish, I get a black yukata from father's room and goes into Itachi's. That unknown feeling bubbling up suddenly, it's starting to become familiar to me now; a confusing mix between excitement and anger. All I have to do is figure out what it is exactly.

Once I reach the door, I pause. I remember when I was about five; I used to come a lot when it rained. Back then Itachi was scared of lightning, though he'd never showed it. It'd always been as if the sudden streaks of light across the sky terrified him. I found out when I was scared of the same thing. I seek comfort in my Aniki, but ended up comforting him. At that time, the thought that my Aniki needed me vanish all fear from me. All that mattered to me was comforting my Aniki, even if he didn't _look_ one bit scared.

I crush that memory, just like I crush the hope of having my brother back, because I know that the little boy inside me sent that memory as a message of hope. It's like I need to give him a second chance, a chance for us to become brothers again. But it's not possible; Itachi is a murderer, a killer. Nothing will ever be the same. That little boy part was a part of me though, so crushing his hope would be crushing my hope. I open the sliding door and step into the dim room. Itachi is still in Juugo's clothes and I want nothing more than rip them off and burn them.

"Get up; you're going to take a shower. Hurry up before the water cools," I say. It's autumn here in Konoha. The wind is particularly harsher and colder, blowing leaves into your hair. If anyone isn't on missions, the best thing to wear was cotton yukata… or anything thick and warm.

He makes an attempt to stand up, taking his god damn time while he's at it. He succeeds, finally, and Juugo's large shirt slides off one lithe shoulder. He's hair is now a messy braid, barely recognisable as a braid anymore. He very slowly, yet very gracefully, made his way to the bathroom. His steps are slow and small. That's when it occurs to me. I haven't told him where everything is. My pulse quickens with anticipation, maybe he's regaining his memories slowly.

He goes into the bathroom and stands at the door, preventing me from going in.

"What?" I ask. It's then that I notice that we are the same height. He's small, not in height, but in figure, almost thin looking. I guess he looks more like our mother than our father. I smirk, I'm only sixteen after all, and I still have some growing to do. At that thought, my life suddenly looks a whole lot better.

"Otouto, do you intend to shower with me?" his voice snaps me out of my... observations. He pushes me gently out of the door way and gently slam it in my face. I'm shocked when I realise what he means by that. A scowl grows on my face and my pulse quickens for unknown reasons. As if there's anything for me to see, I've seen it all before, Aniki. You're not as pretty of a sight as you'd like to think you are, I wanted to yell at him through the door. In the end I only twitch and turn away.

I walk out and, almost as if a sound barrier was lifted, the sound of bickering hits me full force. I'm surprised that Naruto and Sakura are there, but that would explain why it's louder than usual. I look over to see that Juugo is at the window, trying to communicate to a bird over all the noise. So much for a peaceful morning.

"Teme! You're finally up. And here I thought I was the sleepy-head," Naruto greets me _very_ kindly.

"Dobe, don't be so loud in the morning," I so kindly reply. Idiot. "What are you doing here anyway?" At this I turn my eyes to Sakura, who'll no doubt have a more reasonable answer. I also did it to avoid looking at the dobe's horrible orange-red yukata. God, how my eyes burn.

"Well, you see, Sasuke-kun, the rest of rookie nine and Team Gai decided to meet up at the BBQ shop, and we were wondering if you wanted to come? It's tonight" Funny, I thought she got over her crush for me. Guess not, if the glaring blush is anything to go by. She'll grow out of it, I'm sure, once she sees what monster I've become.

I'm just about to decline when I'm interrupted by Karin. "Itachi, baby! Come over hear and let me redo your hair." Karin seems to think that when someone loses their memory, they become almost incapable of taking care of themselves. I wonder if this has something to do with her lack of interaction with other females. At this point I'm not about to stop her though. Let her take care of Itachi all she wants, but when she realises what murderous monster he is on the inside, she'll regret it. I chuckle silently when I spot the nail marks on Itachi's neck, red and dark and angry against his pale, porcelain skin. It drew all attention towards it, like a mark meant for all to see. I remember when I met him years ago when he came for Naruto, Itachi had a tan, and it looked healthy. Now he looks sick.

I watch as Naruto's eyes widen as he takes a few steps back. Sakura tenses, ready to spring into action and the ANBU outside freezes. It's a chain reaction of people who are secretly scared of Itachi. I roll my eyes, when are they going to learn that he's harmless, despite his aura and expression. Though it's a bit hypocritical of me, since I still think he's a monster. But if I want to keep Itachi under my authority, then I'd have to show them that he's really harmless. So I trot over to him.

"Itachi, wear your yukata tighter, it's cold and we're going out," I say as I go between him and Karin, blocking her with my back before she reaches him. I make sure to keep my voice cool and levelled, not kind, but not unkind and let out a satisfied smirk when I see Karin pout. I pull Itachi's yukata tighter over his shoulder and chest. That's when I see his ribs, a sure sign of starvation. A frown mars my face; he's going to eat, even if I have to force feed him. There's no use if my future victim dies of starvation before I can torture him.

My hand, which seems suddenly large next to his thinness, lingers on the marks on his neck. There are four altogether, all crescent shaped with dried blood and purple bruises around them. They are the shapes of my nails. I can spot these marks a mile away. Good…

Behind me I sense everyone but Naruto relaxes a little. I see that he's going to take more convincing to get through. Oh well, more challenges for me I guess. Though, when I turn around, his blue eyes are focused on my hand, near Itachi's neck, and I just know that this isn't about his wariness for Itachi at all.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

The BBQ was reserved all for this… gathering. Forgive me if I'm a bit hesitant to call it a party. The whole place is just for us, a party of twenty-two. Naruto and Chouji alone can have this place, food all for them. Everybody sits at random tables and if you want to talk just walk to that table.

"Yo, Naruto. I'll race ya!" Or you could just yell across the place, whatever works for you.

Karin and Suigetsu surprisingly get along with almost every body, while Juugo sits with Shikamaru, whom he sensed will do him the least harm. The guy looks just about to doze off. The younger generation are wary of Itachi, so the Jounins take responsibility in taking care of the very curious weasel. Of course that's not to say that they're all suddenly friends. I suspect that they only sit with him because, if he suddenly becomes a threat, they'll be the first to act on it. He can fool them all he wants, but I'm not easily fooled. I know that as soon as he can remember his past, he'll murder everyone here without a second thought. The devil incarnate is what he is. That's why I have to punish him, and I can't do that if he starves himself to death. He has to eat.

I get up from my table, interrupting someone, not sure who and stalk over to the jounins' table, not including Neji. Everybody here is wearing a yukata, so I have a bit of difficulty recognising who's who. I easily recognised Itachi though; I just have to look for a small figure staring at a very random object, the figure that doesn't belong in this happy scene.

I roughly grab his arm and drag him away from the table, earning myself a few hesitant glances. I pull him into a quiet corner and sit him down, and then turn to get him something to eat.

"You could be a little nicer to him, you know," Kakashi, my old sensei, says. "I noticed his chakra is unreasonably low, know anything about it?" Of course I do; it's a miracle that he's even able to walk anymore.

I see no point in lying to him though. "I suppressed it with a seal. He could regain his memory any minute now, so I want to make sure he doesn't try anything."

"I see, just don't be so harsh on him when he's like this. He's a sweet kid," I turn to glare at him, but he's already at his table, playing rock-paper-scissors with Gai. Sweet? What is wrong with him? Uchiha Itachi is, most certainly, not sweet! Just the word 'sweet' and Itachi together makes me sick.

I make my way over to Itachi, bringing with me three plates of… whatever I could find. He's going to at least eat two plates. I find him staring at me with barely compressed concern. "What now?" I growl. The expression is so foreign on his face that I'm at a lost as to how to react, and that makes me angry. It's been years since I last saw that concern.

"There are two men outside. I noticed they've been following us for a while now. Should we invite them in?" And here's where I have mixed feelings. At one end I'm satisfied that he's so dependent on me, so trusting, while on the other end I'm pissed, because damn it I thought he was concerned about me, not some ANBU outside! Oh how the mighty has fallen. He's pathetic now.

"Just leave them alone. Here," I put the plates down in front of him, "Eat".

He stares coldly at the food for a while before saying, "That's an awful lot you brought. But I suppose that's understandable. I read about growing boys your age, you supposedly eat a lot." What the hell is he on about this time?

"They're not for me, you goof. They're for you, now eat". I can literally feel my eyebrows twitching. He's been reading books about Teenagers? And he's only been here one night, and last night I sealed his chakra; he must have been exhausted. And yet he's found time to read books… Throughout the meal, I can't keep my eyes from travelling down to marvel at the nail marks on Itachi's neck. God, they practically glow! They resemble the power I have over him. He's mine now. Nobody but me is going to touch him. Maybe Kakashi was right. Revenge is just so _sweet_.

The party goes as normal as it can when it involves ninjas and a giant dog, which has no normalcy in it at all. The other guys are so damn loud and some _idiot_ gave Lee a dish of sake. Now he's tearing the place apart, literally. The jounins are drunk and the others are groaning, having eaten too much. Asuma takes Kurenai home, seeing that she's pregnant and is due in a few months. Juugo is waiting outside; being around too many people could make him snap any minute now.

"Oi, Uchiha, can we go home now? I think I ate too much," Suigetsu whines. I nod and he immediately bolts. Karin does out to tell Juugo. I on the other hand can't find the murderer. Where the hell is he? He'd better not gone out wondering at this time of the night.

"Where's Itachi?" I ask, but I know that everyone heard. I rarely talk, so when I do, they're all ears. A few minutes past with no response and I start to sweat, another unfamiliar feeling burns at my heart, something that I can identify as panic.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun, he's over here," Hinata's timid voice breaks through me. That's all I need to hear to be over there in an instant. She's right; he was over there... sleeping away as if he isn't surrounded by total strangers. I am aware of the other rookies staring with wide eyes; normally they'd never get through Itachi's defence to see him sleep. I shake my head and walk over. I gently, as to not wake him up, gather him in my arms. This time 'round I don't lose my balance. That would've been embarrassing.

The others say bye to me and I, without a second look, walked off into the night. If they find my behaviour towards my brother strange, they don't show it.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Kakashi and Naruto meet me halfway to the Uchiha district. The others are already there, they say. I notice that Naruto keeps gazing at Itachi with suspicion and a little bit of... adoration? I suppose anybody would find this sight cute. If only they know of the demon lurking behind those ridiculously girly lashes. Just this morning the Dobe was ready to jump and attack Itachi, now he's what… developing a crush? Here I wish my hand was free, just so I can punch him in the face.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" I jerk in surprise as Itachi suddenly speaks up.

Naruto jumps too, before answering, "Well, you used to be a bad guy." Kakashi and I silently decide to stay out of this. That would be the wisest.

"But I'm not anymore," Itachi mumbles, and I can almost be exaggerated at how naïve that makes him sound. It really amazes me how he could say all this and not move a muscle on his face. It makes his words so much harder to believe. His eyes are cold and haunting, not the usual Sharingan, but the depthless charcoal orbs.

"You can't say that! Just because you can't remember doesn't mean you're not," Naruto raises his voice. Though I silently agree with him, I suddenly feel like I'm stuck in the middle of a couple's fight. This better not end up with me deciding who to side with. If it does, somebody is going to be hurt.

"Be reasonable. Right now the only thing I remember is my brother and his comrades' names. I could never dream of hurting anything, let alone be a missing-nin. Whatever I did to you, I know my old self won't be sorry, but I am. That's all I have to say, whether you believe me or not doesn't bother me. I could care less what you think of me, I only wish to know why," and with that, Itachi lays his head against my shoulder and drifts off. It only occurs to me now that he hasn't asked to be let down. He trusts me that much, does he? What a stupid mistake to make at this point of time…

Naruto suddenly disappears in a cloud of smoke and that's when I realise that it was a clone all along. I know Naruto would come around one day, he always does. He just needs time. He's too nice to treat Itachi like this and mean it. He'll eventually find some good in my brother and believe in it, just like he does with everyone he's met. It's only a matter of 'when'…

"That was like a scene from Icha Icha Paradise, special family edition. But in the book, Itachi would be the evil yet beautiful female and Naruto would be her older brother. Anyway, I'll see you around Sasuke. It's nice to have you back, just go easy on Itachi. I don't want you breaking his little neck, so don't squeeze so hard next time. Ja ne," and with that he vanishes, as if he was never there at all. It takes a little bit of time, but I worked out that they must have been somewhat like friends, when Itachi was in ANBU. It's hard to believe, I know.

I close the door with my foot and smirk. Me going easy? Who is he to kid? This is my revenge, the only light at the end of the tunnel I call my life. There is no going easy. Kakashi is foolish. I didn't listen to him when he asked me to give up my revenge, so why the hell should I listen this time around? Oh Itachi was going to get it, alright. Going easy? What idiotic thoughts.

I looked down at the squirming form in my arms. Revenge sure looks sweet… looks a lot like mother too…

* * *

Review if you can.


	4. Chapter 3

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, period.

**Friends**

Rehabilitation. I have no idea why I'm doing this. Oh, no, it isn't for me. It's for the guy staring at me with a blank face. We went for a check up with the Fifth this morning. His case of amnesia is actually feeding on my chakra.

It turns out that when our jutsu collided, mine destroyed Itachi's, and then hit him. The effect had him losing any valid memories. It means that the sooner I get my chakra out of his system, the faster the jutsu will wear out and he'll remember who he is. So here we are. To me it feels as if I'm teaching a baby to fight like a shinobi. He just won't listen, as if whatever I have to say isn't important in anyway. His attention span is so short I feel as if I'm talking to myself, which I'm pretty sure I am.

The plan is to get him to be able to perform Taijutsu like he normally would, working my chakra out of his muscles, and then we'd get him to actually use his chakra, so that it can dispel mine out of him completely. And so far, the plan isn't working. I had him started off with the basics. Just kicking and punching. I had him use me as the target, in hopes of him remembering torturing me when he killed our clan. But every time, just before he can touch me, he would be distracted by one thing or another. Like a bird, or a squirrel. This time is different, this time he's watching an ant hill. What the hell?

I sigh, it's been a week and his progress is so slow it almost feels as if he isn't progressing at all. Karin and Suigetsu got really bored during the first day and went off to bicker with their new targets; Naruto and Sakura. I am thankful though, because with them separated from us, the ANBU had to divide as well. Juugo stays with me at all times, but I notice that his constant killing urges are slowing down till only once every two days. That's good.

"Otouto, come look," Itachi called. I see no point in trying to teach him anything today, so I give up. I drag myself over to the small ant hill and watch, and watch, and watch some more.

I tried finding ways that I can get Itachi to pay attention. I know I have to bend the truth a bit. During the week I found out that one of the things Itachi is scared of the most is being separated from me. The other is something about turning into a doll; I didn't pay attention to that one. So if I can use that fear, the first one I mean, to my advantage, then everything should go well.

"Come on, it's getting late," I finally say.

The walk back to our house is awkward. It turns out that Sakura and Ino are the gossip queens in Konoha, no surprise there. The morning after the BBQ party, everyone in Konoha knows I am back. Even kids who don't even know me. What makes the gossip even juicier, as Sakura said, is that I have a hostage who has no memories of who he is. The fat that said prisoner is The Uchiha Itachi doesn't make my coming home any easier.

"Itachi, baby, you're back!" Karin yells as soon as I open the sliding door to the Uchiha's main house. The smell of food hits me and I'm so relief when I don't smell ramen. There's a red blue, and suddenly Karin has Itachi tightly by the arm. She coos soft, loving words to him and pats his hair. I can only grimace in disgust. I suppose I can understand why Itachi is scared of turning into a doll, with the way Karin is treating him, and I'd be scared too.

We sit and eat dinner as a normal family would, an unbelieving delusion if you ask me, even though we aren't a family. I feel better when I noted that Itachi had more colour in his skin and that I can't really see his ribs anymore. His collarbone is still stark against his skin, though. I remember, after the BBQ, I tried everything to torture him and make him miserable. The keyword is that I _tried, _I couldn't though. I couldn't harm him physically no matter how much I tried. To me it is almost as if he is a completely different person. So I stooped to abusing him with words, it is the only way I can keep my hatred for him burning, keep adding wood into the furnace I suppose.

"So, Sasuke-kun, how was training today?" Karin bats her eyelashes at me. I should've been used to it by now, but I just can't help shuddering anyway.

"Hn," I don't have to worry about hurting her feelings with my lack of reply, she's used to it.

"Hey, pretty boy, did you hit him today, did you, did you?" Suigetsu leers. He's very enthusiastic about me getting injured. He says something about my friends' food poisoning him at the BBQ. I think he just ate too much.

"I stared at an ant hill. It's interesting, like a network… all going back to one place," Itachi says, blunt as ever. He doesn't make sense, but we all know to ignore that. Maybe he sees something we all don't, or maybe it's all in his head, I don't care. I look down to his neck and am disappointed to find that my mark on him is gone. The Fifth took pity on him, seeing that he's innocent now and all and healed him up. Itachi is more sociable now too, he is more willing to talk to other people, but his face stays blank and unreadable, intimidating and eventually that left him with very few people to talk to. I'm starting to think that I won't be able to rid him of that habit. He isn't even aware of _not_ showing expressions.

When we finish eating I tell Itachi, "Go take a shower, don't take too long or the water will cool." This is the middle of autumn; the Hokage only gives out missions that require the lower ranked shinobi to stay in the village. It feels like autumn and winter have merged together, horrible. A yukata just won't do anymore, we need three layers and scarfs and everything. I don't remember this kind of weather when I was still here. I smirk a little when I sensed the ANBU outside, they must be wishing for death right now, and freezing their asses off.

I watch as Itachi glides out of the kitchen and into his room. He doesn't look like he can harm a fly. He can though; he is just fighting his instinct. I snap my head up. That's it! That's what I've been looking over! If I can get him to follow his instinct, then he'll be able to fight. Damn, I'm good.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

That night I sit on the edge of Itachi's bed. We do this every night. Itachi would ask questions and I would answer. During this session, he would hold my right wrist the whole time. I suspect that he doesn't even know he's doing it. I don't point this out, not yet. Let him be used to it, then I'll take it away from him and he'll be sorry.

"What subject tonight?" I ask. We pick new subjects every night. I just hope he doesn't pick childhood memories again. Last week he asked me questions about his childhood, and I barely had answers for him. I came to the conclusion that I knew nothing like I thought I did.

"Friends," he states.

"Friends?" I ask again, just to be sure.

"Yes, friends," he says coldly, is if daring me to disagree. No matter how long, I just can't get him completely under my control. He will always have this tiny streak of control over me, because no matter how much I hate him, he is still my Aniki by blood.

"Alright, what do you want to know?" I sigh. He is stubborn that way. And he might be lonely too, with only Karin to talk to, and when he talks to me, I know I'm horribly hostile to him.

"I want to know more about that blond one, the one who's like Suigetsu." He probably means Naruto. I wonder why he wants to know more about Naruto though. The blond hasn't come around in a while, and when he does, it's to ignore Itachi and just spar with me. Try and hide it as he might, but I can see that he's mellowing slowly.

"Why do you want to know more about him?" Ah, this is the part where that unknown feeling bubble up, again. It is bitter and acidic and makes the thought of Itachi interested in anyone else unpleasant.

"Otouto, I am the one who ask the questions, do not forget," he coldly snaps.

I feel anger though. He is my _prisoner_, how dare he demand something of me like that? If I want answers, I'm going to get answers. He seems to have forgotten the seal I placed on his forehead, even if it's not visible. I zap a bit of chakra and watch as he winces, he probably feels a huge migraine right now. And yet his grip on my wrist didn't loosen. Guilt instantly swirls in the pit of my stomach. I really need to tame my temper.

"Fine," I gave in, for now. "What do you want to know about him?"

"How old is he?"

"My age."

"How did he know me?" This is good. During the week I drilled into his head what to ask and what _not_ to ask. He knows very well what to avoid. That is another thing, no matter what threats come his way, he never fights back. He will either wait for me to protect him or just take it. I think it is foolish, but he's just probably trying not to commit any more crime, trying to appear harmless and even defenceless. Lies.

"He says you are a bad guy, remember? Or do you have short term memory, too?" I snap. I am getting tired of these sessions. I think they're pointless. But a small part of me, probably that little boy, says that I am jealous. I'm jealous because he never asks about _me. _Me, who's his little brother and he never asks. This is probably the first time I will ever agree with that part of me. But I do and I admit I'm jealous.

"Do you think he can be my friend?" I snap my head up and stare at him, horrified. There's absolutely no way am I letting him be friends with Naruto. He'll only end up hurting the poor blond when he remembers again. He is a murderous demon that way. I feel much more secure when I know that Itachi's lonely and suffering, at least then he can't hurt anybody else.

'_You're in denial… You just want him all to yourself'_' a voice at the back of my head sings. It sounds suspiciously like the Fifth's voice. And I'm _not_ in denial. I don't _want_ him. I just hate him with all my worth. And now, even as the voice is silent, I can still feel it leering at me. Obviously I know it's not really the Fifth talking; it's me, my conscience… in the form of someone mature and wise.

"Don't even think about it," I hurry to say; best to crush his hope now than let it grow. It isn't very effective though, he's used to me treating him so bad that he doesn't mind anymore. That's good; I don't have to feel so guilty anymore.

Itachi let out a dry chuckle. "So possessive, little brother," he mumbles. It's enough to make me angry. In a furry of movements I yank my arm from his soft grip and storm out the room, slamming the sliding door for effect. I get easily angered when I'm with him. He's be the only one who is able to make my control on my emotions go haywire, and in the end I'm the one who ends up hurting him, and then I feel guilty. I slip up easily around him; I lose control of what's reality and what's not and it is frustrating because I thought I'd grown past that!

Around him, I feel like a child again. I feel like depending on him, but can't, not when I know what he's capable of. God damn him!

I crash onto my bed, my face buried in my hands and the pillow. Even if I storm out of his room, I still manage to catch that glimpse of smirk. He was smirking, enjoying when he can torment me. That makes me even angrier, because that smirk isn't from the innocent Itachi; it is a shadow of the old one. He's in there somewhere and I'm going to bring the coward out, even if I have to use force. I fall asleep thinking of ways to torture the bastard of a brother. It's not really the type of dream that says I'm exactly healthy in the head.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I gasp and sit up, panting loudly. I stare at my sweaty hands in horror. That felt so real, so very real. I groan when I realise what exactly it was. A wet dream. I know I'm bisexual, there's no doubt and I'm not the type to deny the truth. Well, not _then_ anyways, not sure 'bout now though. I've had wet dreams before, but they're usually about girls who I've never met, just with a pretty face and a curvy body. This time, however, it's with a male. I didn't see his face, everything had been blurry, but I'm sure of one thing; he was absolutely wonderful. I remember the feel of his soft skin, as I softly traced his slender form with kisses. He was hot, like… temperature hot, and everywhere that I touched him he burned me. And I seemed so hungry for him too…

I don't know what caused this and I have no intention of finding out anytime soon. I get up and go to the bathroom, to…you know, take care of things. Keeping my voice down is a bitch though. The others are ninjas too; they have heightened senses of hearing and stuff. It'll only take one slip of sound from me and they'll all be awake. I'm a teenage boy after all. Anyone my age has the right to blame everything on hormones and I did just that.

I blame this situation and my wet dream on hormones and puberty. And because of my hatred for him, I blame it on Itachi too, even though that doesn't even make sense. Lately he's been doing weird things to the way I normally live; now my life's almost upside down. I mean, here I am, taking good care of the one I've sworn to kill. So I blame it on Itachi.

I go back to bed and just when I'm about to sleep, the voice that sounds like the Fifth Hokage speaks up, '_Sure, you do that. Blame __**this**__ on Itachi, and the next time and the time after that too. Ha-ha, foolish boy_'. I should probably get my head checked out. I don't want to go insane and leave my Itachi all alone now, would I?

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I look over at Suigetsu and shiver. Out of all of us, he and Naruto are the only ones unaffected by the cold, harsh weather. They're only wearing one layer of yukata and are chatting about as if they aren't aware that this is the coldest time of the year in the Fire country. They probably _aren't_ aware. Some idiot suggested that we meet at Ichiraku's for some ramen and then another idiot agreed. So here we are, shivering our socks off and just waiting for a bowl of ramen.

Itachi keeps staring at Naruto and I smirk when the blond fidgets. Naruto takes a deep breath and my smirk disappear when I see him getting up and sitting himself down next to Itachi, cutting Karin off from her new friend. Yamato, Kakashi's temporary replacement is conversing with my brother man and Juugo about something somewhere. Suigetsu and Sai are talking about who's _**thing**_ is bigger. Those idiots. I can just feel the ANBU watching us shake their heads in embarrassment. Karin, having been denied her baby, is now bitching politely with Sakura about who would make me happier in a marriage. Oh god. That left me all alone to listen to what Naruto has to say to Itachi.

"Hey," Naruto says awkwardly.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," I stare, shocked, as a very small smile lit up Itachi's face. It's small, but it's enough to be called beautiful. Something burning and consuming burns in my stomach, telling me to act on it, to do something to quench it, but I don't. I've felt this one before, when I looked at Itachi holding onto Juugo for support, but this time it's more intense, because I know the Dobe can be a bigger threat than Juugo can ever be. What the hell is Itachi doing to me?

God, when he remembers everything, I'm going to make him pay for causing all of this. He's messing with my head, that's it. He's messing with my mind so that I'll let my guard down and then he'll strike and we'll all be sorry. That little demon, if he thinks I'll fall for it he's got another thing coming for him. How stupid does he think I am, to try this on me?

"Uh, I'm sorry for before, when I was being mean to you," the Dobe said, scratching the back of his head. He's nervous. If I look a little bit surprised that he's even apologising in the first place, nobody commented.

"It's alright, I understand. I only hope that while I don't remember anything, we can be friends?" Itachi replies. Why the hell is he being so nice to Naruto? Heck, why the hell are they even talking? Has the Dobe already forgotten that this is the man that's been tracking him and hunting him down? And has Itachi forgotten that he's the bad guy here? Is he luring the dobe into a trap or something? Suddenly what he says last night hit me. Maybe it couldn't hurt to let him have one friend. This is Naruto and Itachi, it won't last very long. Sooner or later Naruto will see the real Itachi, the one that murdered his own family in cold blood. There's no way he'd be friends with someone like Itachi. Naruto is a family man.

"You… want to be my friend?" Naruto asks sceptically. I don't blame him.

"Yes, I like your personality," and if that's a little too blunt, even for Itachi, they don't say anything about it.

The Dobe laughs nervously, but I can see the blush he is trying to hide. Itachi on the other hand doesn't see it; he's too busy poking at the swirling thing in his ramen. This cannot be happening, the Dobe better not be developing a crush on Itachi. It's really too ridiculous a thought. That would be like falling for a siren's singing. The idiot. But I'm not so certain. Naruto usually has a good judge of personality. And who knows, maybe hanging around Naruto can help him remember some stuff. I'm losing my patience. It won't be long before I snap and break his pretty little neck. But I'd at least like to do it when he's got his memories, when he's guilty again.

**xxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**

I drag him in and slam him up against the wall, my hands on his shoulders tight. I've taken in more than I can handle.

Throughout the meal, he and Naruto talked and whenever I tried to listen Sakura or Karin would yank my attention for themselves. I can only watch as they talked in hush tones, whispering to each other as if sharing secrets. Then I'm overcome when that unknown feeling came to me tenfold. I remember as my blood boiled and my pulse quickened. I remembered the raw predator instinct that came over me as I looked at him. I remembered leaving my friends speechless as I threw Itachi over my shoulder, where he belongs, and stalked off, leaving the bill to whoever cares enough.

I look at him now and only feel one bit of satisfaction to see him trapped, with me to go through to get free. I can see the confusion in his eyes as he stares into my burning Sharingan. I don't remember turning it on, it must've fed on my anger, as it had many times before. I move my right hand up and roughly cupped his face, it feels so right, if only I can crush it and be done with it. I can't though, because there is this damn amnesia standing between me and him. If I can get it out of the way, there would be nothing saving him from me, he'd be all mine.

"You need to learn, _Aniki_," I taunt, anything to get an expression on his little face.

"What would you like me to learn this time, Otouto?" he whispers. Of course, to him this is a game, he enjoys seeing me lose my control, he enjoys seeing me lost and confused. He is a sadistic bastard and he needs to learn his place.

I lean in and whisper into his right ear, "You need to learn that you don't need anybody but _me_. Don't go looking for friends or whatever, because all you will ever need to know is _me_." I smirk when I see him shiver. He's probably fighting his instincts again, with me being so close and all. I bet he'd love nothing more than to let go and try to beat the crap out of me, like the monster that he is.

"I will say this once again, Otouto. You're very possessive; it's not healthy for boys your age. I read that in a book," he struggles to say, looking up at me as of looking for approval. As if reading is anything to marvel at. I let him go very slowly and step back. I can't do this, not to this innocent man. As long as he doesn't remember, I won't be able to hurt him. That's why he has to remember everything, ASAP.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

The next morning we stand once again in the clearing, ready to spar. Itachi pays attention this time. He says he's making up for making me angry last night. That only makes me feel worse about myself. He shouldn't be the one to apologise, I should and yet I can't, because I _hate this man._ He can be innocent for all I care, I still hate him.

"Alright, I found a perfect solution," at this he blinks; I supposed this is all I'm getting out of him. "That strange energy you felt a week ago, remember?" he nodded once, "it's called chakra. I sealed most of it away, but there should be enough left in you to fight. And the weird instinct to fight back?" another nod, "well stop fighting it. Just follow what your body wants to do and _just fight_".

**xxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**

I lay sprawl on the clearing. All around me I hear pants from Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi. On the sideline I hear Karin cheering her Itachi on. When I told Itachi to follow his instinct and fight, he did just that. Then my old team joined, in hopes of having a good spar against an Akatsuki member. Four hours after and we're all over the clearing. I'm surprisingly okay with Itachi winning, it's only Taijutsu but I don't care about that. As I lay there, I let myself an accomplishing smile. I did it; I'm able to make Itachi fight. If we can manage a few more months of this kind of spar, all of my chakra will be worked out of his system and then he'll be able to remember everything.

Itachi sits against a tree, sweating and panting and only a little bit bruised. I watch as he watches an ant hill. What the hell is so damn interesting about an ant hill? Things are more interesting _this_ way. Karin is busy brushing invisible dust off of him and I can sense the ANBU watching us relax. They had been very tense during the spar, and with good reasons too. I let my gaze wander to the darkening sky. How did everything come to be this way? Is destiny finally being kind to me? Is the universe giving me my beloved aniki back? But I shouldn't get my hopes up; they'll only take him away when I'm finally happy.

The fifth's voice sounded at the back of my head, '_Isn't aniki hot when he's hot? I think he's hot, I think he's beautiful. Don't you?_' I really need to see a doctor about that.

* * *

Review...


	5. Chapter 4

Title: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi  
Chapter: 4  
Diclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Missions

I really feel like I'm twelve all over again. My wonderful fighting skills were being wasted rounding herds of cows. They were big, smelly animals who just won't listen to you. Who the heck need them anyways? Now, if I could just get Suigetsu and Naruto to stop bickering and do their work that would be great. Ah, at least Karin and Sakura weren't here together, they were off somewhere doing something girly. Kakashi left a few minutes ago, saying something about saving a chicken drowning. Juugo was the only one actually doing the work, even I'm not doing it, and Itachi was staring at the pig farm. The poor animals got scared when he stared at them too long, or maybe it was his blank face that scared them.

I admit that the sparing sessions gave him a vague picture of who he was before he lost his memories. And because of this, he was able to manage to act natural around people. He was recovering his skills fast and because the ANBU were starting to think of him as a threat, I had to reseal his chakra. I only allowed him enough to spar and live. When we weren't doing missions, we would just hang in the back garden of my house and during these times, Naruto and Sakura would drop by. Who was I kidding; they drop by everyday, every night, whenever they can. And during these times, whenever I saw someone else with Itachi, those annoying emotions would eat at me. Again and again I'd try to find out what they were, but I never did. Then that little voice of the Fifth Hokage would sing, '_You know what they are, you're just in denial, denial, denial……_' If I was sure of one thing, the Fifth can't sing.

"Sasuke-teme, stop daydreaming and gather them up will ya?" the dobe's voice cut through my trains of thoughts. And anyways, he was the one bickering a few minutes ago. That idiot.

I went and helped them; it actually wasn't that hard if everybody did their work. The cows do have brains. The others decided to get some ramen when we finished. I allowed Juugo to go with them, since his controls are getting better. I, on the other hand, decided that I need to see the Hokage about that annoying voice in my head. I took Itachi with me; he needed a check up too. I wanted to know how many spar sessions to go before he can start to regain his memories at a faster pace. My burning hatred was starting to decrease and I don't like that.

"Itachi, come here," I commanded and started walking. I knew he would follow, he always did; like a lost puppy. I had to smirk at that thought. And sure enough he followed.

A few minutes into our walk, when we were finally in the more civilized part of the village, he said "Otouto, did you know that there were no ants in that ant hill?" What was so damn interesting about ant hills? How come he never looked _my_ way, where his soon-to-be killer is?

We got to the Hokage Tower and I had to make a decision, walk up the stairs or just jump. Well, I had my lazy moments. I wrapped my right arm roughly around Itachi's waist and my left hand took his right wrist. With an extra push from my chakra, Itachi and I were on the Hokage's window sill. I growled harshly when I noticed Itachi staring at the Yondaime's portrait. He never pays attention to me, well he should. He shouldn't trust me enough to turn his back to me. I could get my revenge on him any minute now; he should know that right now; I'm his biggest threat.

"Sasuke! I'm so glad to see you!" I heard the Hokage yell. That was strange, last week she nearly chopped my head off just because I didn't knock on the window. But then I let my gaze wander to the _**huge**_ stacks of paper on her desk. That explained a lot, she would be happy to just about anyone if it meant she could stop doing her work. Lazy old lady. How the heck did she become Hokage again? Anyways, I dropped Itachi onto the floor, not caring if he landed or not and gracefully jumped down myself.

I sighed in defeat; this is a very strange village. I mean, there are people with various hair colours; ranging from yellow to silver to pink and to black then to indigo, and then to brown. If only Gaara was here. I also noticed that my old team happens to be the most colourful team, which included me. "I need a check up on him," I jerked my head towards the curious older Uchiha. "I also need a check up on… myself," I mumbled the last part, its embarrassing okay? Its one thing for people to think you're going crazy, but it's another to actually suspect you're self.

The Hokage smirked, "Why brat? Think you're going crazy?" she taunted, "Head over heels _crazy_?" And I could only stare at her suspiciously. What was she on about, anyway?

Nothing was wrong with me apparently. The Fifth suspects that my mind might be disagreeing with my body, or something along those lines. I was happier with the next new however. My chakra was almost out of his system, a few more spar sessions and Itachi's memories will come back one by one. Hopefully by the end of this year, I'll manage to start his torture. Damn it! I want my revenge NOW! I HATE this man!

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It was torture, it really was. I'd rather be gathering that herd of cow again than be doing _this_. This morning that old hag assigned Itachi, Naruto, Juugo, Suigetsu and I to clean the river. There wasn't that much to clean actually, there were only a few pieces of rubbish some idiot left behind. But the mission took the _whole_ day, because it took someone at least twenty minute to pick up one piece of rubbish. It was just so damn cold that each time we pick up a piece of rubbish; we had to wait twenty minutes for our body heat to return. Suigetsu had no problem with the cold, he was just plain lazy and refused to do all the work. I sneezed for the thirtieth time, yes; it was that cold that even I, the great Uchiha Sasuke, was getting a cold.

I looked over to my captive and smirked despite the weather. Itachi was doing a perfect job of keeping his face blank. Of course it was ruined when I spotted his blue lips and arms full of goose bumps. His lithe form was shivering too and the bastard thought he looked cool. I chuckled; he was the only one who didn't have enough chakra to warm himself up. The ANBU watching us were probably laughing at us right now. During the few weeks that we've been here, Itachi just won't grasp the fact that the ANBU were watching us because they were suspicious of us, not because they cared. Apparently he read many novels from our bookshelves, and didn't understand that they were fictions. That idiot. When I found out that he read any book anyone gave to him, that was when I started to make sure that he and Kakashi never sat alone together. I literally can't trust my old sensei to _not_ turn my brother into a pervert. The idea of a closet perverted Itachi had me barking out a laugh. The others looked at me with obvious concern; they probably thought that I finally cracked.

"I think otouto has finally cracked under the pressure of going through puberty," Itachi stated.

I stopped laughing and looked at him strangly. "Why do you know so much about that sort of stuff?" I questioned. He always seemed to know so much about teenage boys and it's been bothering me for weeks. I had to find out.

"I think you must have been very precious to me before, so I devoted my times to try to understand teenage boys. Do you not think it's good?" Ah, there came the unknown feeling; just flipping in my stomach. This time it went up to my face, I think I might be blushing, but who knows, Itachi's been messing with my emotions lately. I don't really know what's wrong and what's right anymore.

Naruto laughed loudly. "Oh, look 'Tachi, you made him blush," he barked, he's such a baka. And then what he called my Itachi hit me. He better had not just called Itachi, 'Tachi. That little idiot, didn't he understand that Itachi is MY prisoner? That's right; the dobe had a little crush on Itachi. And that murderer seemed to be leading the dobe on. It seemed that I was the only one noticing. How can anybody _not_ notice, the dobe stopped asking Sakura for dates and practically worshiped the ground that Itachi walked on. This has got to stop; it's for both their own good. '_You're illumining yourself…_' that voice at the back of my head sang.

It seems that my twenty minutes was up, so I got up and begrudgingly got into the river. I shivered and sneezed again, if Karin found out about me getting a cold, she'll no doubt baby-sit me 24/7. Damn that Hokage for putting me through this, I just want to use Chidori Nagashi on her and be done with it. But of course I can't do that, because she is the _Hokage_. When the hell was this damn season going to be over? I missed the sun. I managed to pick up three pieces of rubbish before I had to rest again. Did I mention how damn cold it was?

"Hello people with penis," a voice from behind a bush greeted. Oh, it's just Sai. Naruto told me that he had a fetish for penises. What a weirdo. And I can't believe that they could replace me with someone who shows his belly! I mean what the hell? Was he gay or something? '_Maybe. What about you?_' the voice sang. But I learnt long ago to ignore it. "The Hokage took pity on you, so she decided you guys can have the rest of the afternoon off," he said.

"Hey, Sai! What were you doing behind the bush?" The dobe just had to ask. That idiot, the sooner we stop talking, the sooner we can leave.

Sai gave us one huge smile, it was faked of course. "I was spying on Itachi-kun. Did you know that he doesn't have any hair on his legs?" I hissed in pain when the unknown emotion stabbed my chest. My breath became heaves and the only thing I wanted to do was kill the bastard, whether it's Sai or Itachi I don't know, Sai preferably. He had no right, no right what so ever to look at Itachi like that. I was the one who spent my life hunting him down, so I should be the only one to have him. "You can go now, I'll do the rest," he said. That was something I was satisfied with. The annoying bastard would freeze in the freezing river and I'll finally be happy.

We sprinted back to my house within minutes, worrying for our own health. Why Naruto decided to tag along, I don't know and I don't care anymore. I was freezing my ass off and could barely breathe through my nose anymore. We trampled home and Karin was immediately all over her baby, she and Sakura must've come back earlier. I twitched as I watched Karin take Itachi into the bathroom to clean up. Why take care of him when he's nearly dry already? I'm the one catching a cold, take care of me damn it! '_But __**who**__ do you want to take care of you, hm?_' I swear, one of these days I'm going to find out who that annoying voice is.

"Itachi, baby, you need to be more careful in this weather. I won't be able to be with you all the time, you know. We wouldn't want a beautiful doll like you pale and sick now, do we?" I gritted my teeth. That female idiot, when was she going to learn to stay well away from my murderous prisoner?

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I slipped under my heavy bed cover and closed my eyes. There was no moonlit tonight, the heavy clouds covered any light from above. I relaxed my senses and heard Suigetsu and Naruto smoring loudly; the dobe practically lived here now. Then I heard Karin giggle my name out in her sleep. I shuddered; I always do when she does that. I relaxed my senses even further and let my mind wander.

_I heard my heart thumping in my chest as I ran towards our home. I was scared and I didn't know what to do or where to go. I reached my house and froze for just a millisecond, I commanded my body to move and it did. I opened the door and screamed, but the sound never came out, I choked on my own scream. My parents were sprawled out on the tatami mats, bleeding heavily and not moving. My heart clenched at the horrible sight and my nose twitched at the heavy smell of blood. My body once again frozed in fear and my throat could only offer pathetic whimpers. My family was dead, everybody was dead._

"_Run, foolish little brother, run and cling to your pathetic life. By all mean, escape and seek power and when you have the same eyes that I do, come to me"._

I started awake and choked on my scream. I hurriedly grab the kunai I always had under my pillow and sprinted to Itachi's room. I struggled to breathe as I fought down the tears threatening at my eyes. I'd been stupid, very stupid. I fell for his mind tricks and made a fool of myself. He may have lost his memories and acted innocent, but this was all part of his plan. I slammed his sliding door open and stalked over to his bed, my fist clenched tightly around the kunai and the other clenched into a fist. My prey lay unaware in his heavy blanket, his lithe frame moving up and down in the perfect rhythm of his breathing. I looked at the kunai in my hands and silently drop it onto the floor. Strangling him would serve as a more suitable revenge for his horrid crimes.

I gently shook his slender shoulder and whispered his name, "Itachi, wake up. I had a nightmare". It didn't take long to wake him up, he was a shinobi after all, and he was almost always on guard. He rolled over and his sleepy eyes finally focused on me. I felt hysteria built up in my chest, tonight I was going mad and my brother will pay the prize.

"Otouto, what is it that you are doing?" And yet, despite his cold tone, I knew he was confused. I knew I'm probably crazy right now, but who could blame me? Everything about me on the outside seemed calm and gentle, but on the inside I was raging, I was in turmoil. My feeling that I thought I locked away was creating havoc in my head and in my chest. I chuckled; I should've done this sooner. I supposed I have the nightmares to thank.

I slowly reached for his delicate neck with my hands while whispering "Sshh, everythings' alright, aniki. I won't take long" And with that, I squeezed. '_Don't do it you fool. Have you lost your mind? STOP!_' The voice fought me, I only squeezed harder.

He immediately struggled, as I suspected, and even had the guts to attempt to attack me. I charged a large amount of chakra into the seal I placed on him and the effect was instant. He gasped loudly and his frame shook with the effort to just stay awake. His face lost any little colour it had and blood dripped down his chin. I enjoyed it, I enjoyed it very much. The feel of his fragile neck slowly crushing under my palms and the feel of his body temperature dropping degree by degree. Even in this state, he was still struggling, the fool. It was all just so wonderful. He was suffering for what he did to my parents, he was suffering for what he did to the whole Uchiha clan and lastly he was suffering for what he did to my aniki. Because by becoming the monster that he is now, he killed my beautiful and innocent aniki. He was a bloody murderer.

My source of madness and enjoyment ended when a swift kick was delivered to my face. I crashed into the bookshelf and slid down, my nose running with blood. I looked up, two ANBU stood in front of me, ready to restrain me while the other two stood in front of Itachi. Naruto was on the bed, holding my brother's body up while Karin was working on some medical stuff she learnt from Sakura. The ANBU were naturally fast, so that must've meant that all that happened in only a few seconds. But Itachi shouldn't be effected by that, he only went without oxygen for a few seconds. I took a closer look and felt colours drain from my face. He wasn't suffering from lack of oxygen; he was suffering because I nearly broke his neck.

I felt as if something has been shoved down my throat and couldn't utter a word. The ANBU seemed to think I was in enough control and, as silently as they came, left the house and went outside, where they silently watched. I didn't even get to know who kicked me. I made a move towards the bed, where I attempted to touch Itachi. I just had to make sure that he was alive, but before I could get too close, Naruto turned his head and I saw the raw emotions in his eyes. I knew he wanted to have a long talk, so I numbly trotted to the kitchen where I sat like a statue, waiting for him. A few minutes passed by and I heard a sob, a mournful, miserable sob. My eyes widened when I realised that they were my sobs.

"What the hell were you thinking? Do you realise the full consequences of your actions tonight?" I heard Naruto behind me. It's rare that I would ever see this side of him and not the loud, obnoxious idiot. But this is what most people overlook when they meet Naruto, they fail to see the sleeping genius. "Why tonight, Sasuke?" he asked.

"I don't know," I answered. "Maybe it was the nightmares, they refuelled my hatred for him and I just lost control". I buried my face in my hands; the same hands that I am now disgusted with. I couldn't turn to face him, I couldn't let him see the shameful tears and I can't bear to see the disappointment in his eyes. I could hear it in his voice after all.

"Nightmares? Don't you have those constantly?" he questioned.

"But I never had him this close to take my revenge on," I countered. There was a few minutes of silence, then I heard the dobe sigh tiredly.

"And exactly what do you want from him, hm? You can't seem to be able to kill him and you just can't let him live everyday without a bruise or something. What do you want from him?" he asked the right question, but not exactly a good question.

I choked on one more sob before giving in. I let it go, I let everything go and just gave in. "I just want my brother back. I just want my aniki".

Then, in an unusually soft and unusually quiet tone, he spoke. "Well, Teme, that man in there looks just like you, he has the same clan name as you and I'm pretty sure the blood in his veins is the same as you. So you be the judge, if that man in there is not your brother, then who the hell is he?" If it were any other occasion, I would have thought that he was impostor. I probably won't be seeing this side of him for another four years. My heart swelled at the thought that I had my brother was with me all along. I felt like jumping up and down like a little kid and just scream in happiness. '_I supposed if you hadn't tried to kill him, then you wouldn't be having this epiphany. Now all you have to do is say sorry and hope he doesn't try to chop your head off, easy enough for you?"_

I felt my hand pulse. I could still feel his petite neck in my hands. "What am I supposed to do? He'll never forgive me," I asked Naruto.

"Well, that's your problem pal. I just want my sleep," he said from the door way. "And by the way, try to hurt my friend again and I won't care if you're my best friend," and with that, he walked away.

I sat in silent for a few minutes. Its like my heart was split into two half. One side was jumping with joy at the prospect of having my aniki back, while the other was dead; guilty at what I almost did. "I'm so, so sorry aniki," I whispered into the dark. I know he wouldn't be able to hear me, he was unconscious after all. The full temperature of the freezing night hit me full force and I was reminded of my cold. A massive ache formed at the base of my head and my nose stung with every breath in. I sneezed again and again, but I knew I deserved it.

"God, I'm so sorry, aniki," I whispered again. Then, as if the gods finally took pity on me, they gave me an illusion. I felt light arms wrapped themselves around my shoulder from behind. They arms were muscled and had a slight feminine feel to it. But I knew they belonged to a man. I should be disgusted, but I knew the gods sent this hallucination in hopes of comforting me, so I'll take what I can get. I leaned into the embrace and breathed in the wonderful scent. Whoever this hallucination took after had a very addicting scent. Tonight, for just one night, I want to be a kid again. So I lifted my arms and held them over the arms that held me. The dean half of my heart skipped to life and thumped in rhythm with the other half. I took a delicate hand and brought it to my lips, but just before I could touch it, I was interrupted.

"This is no hallucination, you idiot".

* * *

Phew...Sorry for the long wait, readers. I know you've probably heard of the same old excuses before,  
so I'll come with an exscuse that won't bore you. "My shoelace was undone, so I took the whole week  
to do it up again. Anyways...please review.

WARNING: At around chapter ten, we'll be reading form Itachi's point of view. Be Warned. REVIEW


	6. Chapter 5

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

**Warning: Slight Lemon.**

This is for my wonderful, faithful reviewers. You guys rock!

**Cold**

I let out a startled breath, snap around and gasp loudly, instantly jumping back. So it hasn't been an illusion after all. The gods decided to humiliate me instead of comforting me, how nice. I stare at the man in front of me. I've never seen him in real life before, but I've seen him in portraits of our family line. How can I forget? He is the founder of the Uchiha clan after all. Only his Sharngan eye seems to be in focus, the rest of his face a blur. Uchiha Madara stares right back at me. What is he doing here? Why is he wearing an Akatsuki cloak? All these questions bubble at the back of my head, but I don't dare say any of them out loud.

I know that if I start a fight with him, I would without a doubt lose… badly. My body tenses in anticipation anyway. That's another thing that comes to mind. He's wearing an Akatsuki cloak; does that mean he is a member too? If so, is he here to bring my Aniki back? I unconsciously sneer at him at the thought. There's no way I'd let my Aniki go so easily, no way in hell. A moment of complete and utter silence passes and I wonder when Naruto and Suigetsu stopped snoring. The man in front of me tilts his head to the side, but I know he isn't confused about anything. It suddenly happens. I blink, lightning strikes outside and the man is gone.

In his place stands the most beautiful being in the universe.

Something decides to make a stop in my throat, my voice box probably, and I lose any way of making a sound. My body betrays me and relaxes its muscles. It is too dark to make out anything but his silhouette, but that's all I need to identify that that is Itachi. His long hair reachs his slim waist; it hasn't been cut in a while. It's much longer than he used to allow, because people often thought that he looked exactly like mother did, when he was younger. He still looks like her now. His head is still tilted to the side. What the heck just happened?

"Are you trying to get me to forgive you or not, Otouto?" he _whispers_ lowly. My heart jumps when I realise that he cannot speak any louder, even if he wants to. I snap out of my shock and get on my knees. Pride and dignity be damned. I bow my head just like when I was little and trying to apologise to my brother. I don't deserve to look at him, not even his silhouette. I'm willing to take any kind of punishment he throws at me. At this point, my life in Orochimaru's lair seems like a million lifetimes ago… not important anymore. Now, I'm waiting for my brother to punish me how he sees fit. I just want him to do something.

'_But that's the thing. He would never intentionally hurt anyone. He's a peace-loving freak, you know that. He'd never hurt anyone, especially not his precious Otouto. So of course you'd be willing to take any form of punishment… when you know there won't be any,'_ The Fifth's voice taunts me. She still has a point. I'm starting to think she's my consciences, my annoying conscience.

"Punish me, Aniki," I whisper. I don't dare say 'forgive me'. I don't want him to forgive me; I want him to be mad at me and try to chop my head off like the Fifth's voice suggested. At least then, I'd feel much better.

I widen my eyes when I feel his hands on my shoulders. He pulls me, trying to get me to stand. I obediently follow as he leads me out into the freezing, cold air outside. There isn't any moonlight tonight, but there are street lamps, so we can see just fine. I follow as he leads me out of the Uchiha compound and into the park at the back of the Ninja Academy. He walks around and around, trying to find whatever it is that he wants to find. During the trip my nose closes up and I have to breathe through my mouth. I make sure to do it quietly though, wouldn't want to wound my pride any further now would I?

Each time a breeze blows by, I would lose feeling of something; it starts with my ears, then my nose and now my whole face. It's torture. Just when I'm about to drop dead in the middle of the park, he stops and turns to me. I silently observe his face. He looks so much like our mother it's almost painful. His face, despite him being finished growing, is still a little round and feminine. And yet, despite his feminine figure, he still has the muscles from over a decade of fighting. He is a perfect mixture of femininity and masculinity. I give him a little glare for nearly freezing my ass off.

He sits on the freezing park bench and turns to me. "I forgot, Otouto," he hoarsely whispers. I nearly groan in despair. What now? Can't he just put a kunai through my chest and be done with it? Those useless ANBU are probably having the time of their lives right now. I bet they enjoy watching me get tortured by the person I swore _to_ torture. Tonight has got to be the most painful night for my pride. "We could have just used a teleporting jutsu to get here. My apologies, Otouto," he finishes. He gives me a beautifully taunting smile and I immediately know what it means. My punishment is over. '_Hm, maybe he is crueller than I first thought_,' the thought comes from the Fifth's voice, my conscience I remind myself.

I let out a pained sigh and sit on the moisture ground at his feet. Right now the wooden bench is probably colder than the ground. We sit for tens and tens of minutes. He's busy staring at something, an ant hill probably, while I'm trying to get my body heat to work like it usually does.

"I want to know now, Otouto," he starts in a quiet whisper. "What is it that I… did to make you hate me this much?" If he's really curious about this, he doesn't show it. There's nothing on his face or in his eyes that tells me what's on his mind. He's still as hard to read as he was years ago.

I only hesitate for a millisecond; he should know this, after all. He's bound to find out one way or another. I won't deny him the truth any longer. There's a difference between knowing what he did and remembering what he did, so I don't need to worry about losing my brother. "Nine years ago, there was a… massacre in Konoha," I start. I sound as if I'm reporting a mission to the Hokage, it's probably the easiest way to approach this, though. "An ANBU by the code name of Karasu murdered the Uchiha clan. The investigations found no sign of anyone helping him with the massacre. Out of three hundred and forty members, only two survived. One being the youngest son of the Head of the clan, Uchiha Sasuke," I feel really weird saying my own full name. But when I feel no hostility towards Itachi at the moment, I'm really happy. Not enough to actually smile of course.

"The other being the rightful heir, Uchiha Itachi, who was twelve and had the status of an ANBU captain by the codename of… … Karasu," I whisper the last name. I'm happy, so happy to get it off my chest, but it's still damn painful.

I don't really know what I expected his reaction to be, but I just hope he doesn't break down crying. _That_ would be really awkward and I just can't imagine the great Uchiha Itachi crying. He just sighs and hoarsely whispers, "I cannot possibly say sorry and mean it, Otouto. Judging by the sort of person that I am now, do you honestly think that I would kill all those people just to test my capabilities?" I jerk up violently and snap my head around to look at him. I never told him he killed our clan to test his capabilities. Does he already remember? He gives me an exaggerated look at my suspicious expression, still managing to look ethereally beautiful in all his bruises. A bone-chilling breeze sweeps through the park, bringing with it a few startling orange leaves. I shiver from the cold I'm getting, the freezing breeze and from my brother's cold gaze. They are so haunting.

"Come now, otouto. Did you really believe that a twelve year old would do such thing without a valid reason?" He pauses as if contemplating his own thoughts. "But then; I suppose, any ordinary seven year old _would_ believe such things," he hoarsely says, and it sounds terribly painful. I feel my eyebrows twitch in annoyance. I really don't like being compared with _ordinary_ seven year olds. I don't want to be ordinary to Aniki. I want to be someone he can look at with pride and fondness. I want my Aniki to love me. '_Wow, you have problems, you know that? First you want to kill him, now you want to love him._' And for once, I agree with the annoying voice. Maybe the idiot voice isn't as bad as I thought it to be… … … And I am going insane. That voice is _me_ for crying out loud. Bloody hell; I really do have problems.

"But," his soft voice distracts me, "from what I know about myself now; I highly doubt that that is my real reasoning. Don't you, Otouto?" I lower my gaze back to the ground, ashamed that that thought never sensibly crossed my mind. "Plus, I have read many books on our clan. It is very powerful and dignified; I highly doubt that I could have possibly killed out all those Uchihas by myself. I assume I had some help," he analyses. The old Itachi woul probably want to keep all this a secret, but he's spilling, and I can't help that. When he says 'all those Uchihas' I normally would've gotten mad, but the realisation dawns on me; I've lived too long to consider the Uchihas my family any more. Of course I still miss them terribly, but I've had almost eight years to get over it. I've grown up and moved on. "I think that I had some inside help, Otouto. Don't you?" What he says tingle some lost information deep inside me. There is something I'm overlooking, something that would make everything make sense.

I don't know how to answer and he doesn't press me for one; he understands that I need time to let it sink into my head. He doesn't ask me why I did what I did to him, though I think he's already worked that out. There are subjects still too sore to touch. Another silent moment flies by and I wonder why the hell he isn't affected by the cold while I'm freezing my damn ass off.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Twenty minutes past, I'm pretty sure it's three in the morning, and I've had enough. I'm getting light headed and I know it's going to be my worst cold yet. I jump to my feet, wobble around for a bit, and quickly grab his hand and zoom off towards our house. My body is going overboard trying to fill my body with heat, giving me embarrassing goose bumps that I know he can feel. My teeth won't stop clattering against each other and I'm pretty sure my Aniki can hear them; if his constant pained chuckling is any indication. Oh, I'm very happy that I'm enough to make my Aniki laugh in amusement, but just not at the cost of my short life. We arrive back at our house and I dazedly walk him to his room and go into mine. I never made it though; I drop unconscious half way there, in the hallway, on the freezing cold floor.

I'm able to stay awake long enough for a few thoughts to pass through my head. Tonight I nearly broke my Aniki's neck in half and got my beloved brother back a few minutes later. I begged for punishment and got one, in the worst form yet. I confessed my brother's crimes to himself and lost feeling of my face. That's a very interesting night…

My eyes snap right open when a thought comes to me. Is it just me or have I been calling my very _male_ brother beautiful all night? '_Is that a trick question? Because honestly I think it's both… …I'm so right, you do have problems._' It's so wrong, it's so sick of me to… … it's just … so… who am I kidding? What is going on with me? I need a mission … … something to take my mind off of this mess I'm in. '_What, you're not going to deny that he's beautiful?_'

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

"… Up! You'll wake him up, you idiot." That isn't exactly the morning call I'm after, but it does its job nonetheless. Now all I need to do is hit the snooze button really hard and hope it drops dead. I keep my eyes close; too terrified to face the face that comes with the loud voice. Oh, god. I feel horrible and it's not from guilt this time. I can't breathe through my damn nose and why the hell is someone pounding on me head? Oh wait… no… it's just a headache. The annoying voices continue to bicker and I let out a growl, which ends up in an embarrassing coughing fit.

Anyway, I thought I'd died last night, but apparently not.

My coughing fit gets enough attention for them to stop bickering, whoever it is and the place is peaceful for once. I open my eyes and they widen beyond what I normally allow. The sun… oh, god, the sun! I see it; I see the large, bright ball in the sky. After not seeing it for so long, in this horrible curse of autumn, it feels like it's in the wrong side of the sky and too bright for its own good, but it's there; sitting in its rightful throne in the wide sky. Then the smell hit me full force. Apparently I'm in a hospital… along with very loud people whom I begrudgingly call friends. I look at the concerned expressions around the room and feel something shatter in my chest. Where is that angelic face? Where's my brother?

Let's see; there's Naruto, Suigetsu with his large sword, Sakura with her heart shaped face; and the old perverted fart I used to call sensei; but no face that resembles mother and brother. Where is my Aniki?

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! I'm so glad you're alright. I was so worried," I wince when Karin appears out of nowhere and yell in my ears. Funny; I hadn't been able to spot her out of the crowd. I also smell a lot of flowers.

"Be quiet. You're hurting his ears!" Sakura counters. That also makes my ears ring in pain. They'd never learn.

I ignore them and slowly move a hand to my face. My face is hot! In both ways if I say so myself. Despite the sun rays outside, the temperature is still very cold, to me at least. This is only the second stage of the season. The next would be snow. Soon I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and give Kakashi a meaningful look. And through eye contact alone he is able to understand. "Hello to you too, Sasuke," he says. Okay, maybe he doesn't understand quite as well as I hoped. So I give him another meaningful look, this one bordering a glare. "He's outside. No need for evil glares."

I pointedly ignore the whole group and trot outside, where I can barely sense Itachi's chakra. I'll have to remember to unseal some of his chakra again. I look up when I open the double door and almost regret it. Now that I can see him properly in broad day light, I see the large, dark, angry, hand shaped bruise on his delicate looking neck. Dread immediately sinks at my heart. I was so close last night, so very close to making the biggest mistake of my life. And yet he still looks at me with a gentle look that I surely don't deserve. I mournfully watch as he tilts his head to the side and pull the infamous Uchiha smirk.

"Enjoying your punishment, Otouto?" My eyes widen as I feel relief flood my system. So the walk last night wasn't the real punishment; it is just the preparation. But it means he forgives me. What I'm feeling right now, the cold I mean, is the real punishment. The real punishment, to me, is seeing the bruises on him. That's more punishment to me than him. And yet I can't help but let out a hoarse chuckle. That cheeky little weasel.

I shake my head and sit down next to him on the waiting bench. I'm really surprise that the hooligans inside haven't followed me out here yet. "Naruto-kun asked the Hokage for a simple mission that we can do just outside the village," he says softly. There's a tightening around his eyes, and I know it hurts to speak. "That is very kind of him". I silently scoff; I can be kind too if I want to. But I suppose that I should be thankful, after all; we are kind of getting into the habit of lazing around all day long. And for a ninja, that's not a very good habit. I can just imagine Gai and Lee yelling in my ears about not being active enough and other ear splitting stuff.

"When is it?" I ask, my voice hoarse too.

"It's this afternoon. We need to make it there just before sunset," he quietly whispers. His voice sounds a little strained, but _sounds_ getting better than last night.

"You really expect me to go in this condition?" I ask. I'm just joking of course.

"You're right," he starts. I suspiciously stare at him; he can never be trusted when he says the words 'you're right', I learnt that when I was six. "I suppose you will have to stay back and let Naruto-kun and I go all alone. In the dark forest; all alone… outside the village," he gives me a way-too-innocent look from the corner of his eyes. I try to look away; really I try, but they're just so captivating even without the Sharingan. I feel tension building up at the back of my throat as he gives me his own version of the puppy-dog eyes. The tension builds up higher and higher in the atmosphere… … oh, wait; that's just a cough building up. I give in to the cough and when I look over to my brother, I find that the stare is still there. I roll my eyes and give in.

There's still a lingering sense of tension between us, as if we're strangers getting to know one another once again, but we're getting better and better. If I want my brother back, this is my chance, and I have to work for it.

"Fine, I'll go," I sigh. I'm going to go anyway; there's no way I'm going to let those two go alone on a mission. Itachi will probably be too busy staring at an ant hill or something and the Dobe will probably talk them both to death or trip on a really simple trap. It's a real wonder how he's survived all these year. Plus, Naruto's been trained by that perverted Sannin, so who knows what he'll do to my Itachi in the dead of the night, in the dark forest, all alone… outside the village.

I swallow down a cough and ask, "What's our mission?"

"A small village just a few miles away reported a disturbance from an abandoned tower just outside their village. We are assigned to find out what the disturbance is and possibly put a stop to it," he replies. Throughout the speech he doesn't move a muscle on his face; his tone is quiet and cold; unlike a few minutes ago when he was being playful. It's times like these that I wonder if I would be able to get him to open up more.

"What's the disturbance reported?" I ask the questions, but I'm not really interested. I'm more concerned about the Akatsuki. The vivid vision of my great, great grand uncle serves to remind me that I may have my brother, but that doesn't mean that I can keep him. I'm still unsure if he's safe going outside the village again; that's why I'm going with him even in my runny-nosed state. I'm going to make sure that if he does encounter Akatsuki, he doesn't remember too much. I know Akatsuki would serve as a big reminder for Itachi. There's still a chance that the Akatsuki may still want my Itachi back under their dirty clutches.

I turn to my Aniki, waiting for his reply. As soon as I see the tiny upwards tilt of his lips; I know we're in for a very idiotic mission. "The locals reported that they heard sounds of ghosts and demons from the tower. _We_ suspect that it's the doing of missing nins," he chuckles softly, the sound that not anybody gets to hear at all is music to my ears. If going on this foolish mission is going to make him laugh again, then I'm in. Plus; it would be very entertaining to see Naruto's reaction. Didn't he say that he's down right terrified of ghosts?

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

"You sneaky little mink!" I hiss in both anger and embarrassment. I was tricked, I was fooled. I was tricked into making a fool of myself.

My so called brother tricked me and has the guts to give me that innocent look! He tricked me! The mission doesn't _just_ consist of him and Naruto. It consists of him, Naruto, me, _Neji and Shikimaru_. And the mission isn't even that high ranked; it's a C-ranked mission. And we're hired to decontaminate ghosts that we aren't even sure they exist or not. I know what my brother plans. He tricked me into coming along so that I can embarrass myself in front of my comrades. The cold will do just that.

Neji is a jounin already, so I see no reason why he has to come along; unless he too fell for my brother's sinful charms. But he tells me that he was injured on his last mission and is on rehab, so he requested a light mission to exercise his muscles and eyesight. Shikamaru is just here because his mother thought that he was being too lazy this week and requested this mission especially for her son. That earned an upwards lilt of Itachi's lips. Really, he finds the weirdest things funny.

We hop from trees to trees, using a faster method of travelling than walking. I unsealed some of Itachi's chakra a few hours ago, enabling him enough to finish the mission but for the ANBU to feel assured enough. Really, what the hell are they so scared of him for? I glance at the Dobe and smirk. We aren't even there yet and he's already shaking with blue lips. The Most Surprising ninja in the Village Hidden in The Leaves, the future Rokudaime, powerful host of the demon Kyuubi no Kitsune… is scared shitless of ghosts. Enemies throw giant snakes at him and he battles them head on. A few months ago, a powerful missing nin tried to capture him and what does he do? He runs to him, in hopes of luring me there too. I was faster of course. I still can't believe that he's scared of ghosts.

I feel much better now that I've had some fresh air. I'm finally able to breathe through my nose without a sound, but my throat is so soar that I don't even bother yelling at Itachi for tricking me. But really, what did I expect from a deceiving little weasel like my brother? He deceives people every day, it's what he does. He's what, 22? But anybody who doesn't know him would probably think he's only a year older than me. Naruto thinks that, he's thinking that right now.

"What Dobe?" I growl, annoyed that he's been staring at my Aniki for a while now.

He blushes at having been caught and turns the other way so Itachi doesn't see his imitation of Hinata. "N-nothing. I is just… wondering how old 'Tachi was," he mumbles. See?

"I'm twenty-two," my brother answers. I sweat drop, even he doesn't sound like he believes me. I see Shikamaru raise an eyebrow in the corner of my eyes and Neji turn his head slightly to listen. They keep staring at Itachi's braid. Naruto is used to seeing my aniki in braids and girly hair style, but the others aren't. "I feel older… sometimes," my brother mutters lowly, too soft for the others to hear.

"Believe what you want, but there's nobody out there who knows more about Itachi than me," I retort. They all stop and stare at me and I immediately regret my words. '_I didn't know we're a stalker_' I hear. Oh, of the entire thing I choose to say. My choice of words are horrible, it runs in the family; with the exception of Itachi obviously. That's why almost all of the Uchihas chose to stay as silent as possible.

They stand there, on top of the canopy of trees, staring at me as if waiting for an answer. Right now I don't really trust myself to open my mouth and _not_ embarrass myself. But for the sake of my treasured pride, I choose to continue on and leave them to catch up with me. During the silent trip I make sure to keep my face as cold as my brother and maintain as much dignity as I can. And just like planned, we arrive at the tower just before sunset. It is an old, tall tower that draws people's attention without trying. Despite its showing age, the tower's still magnificent standing tall with the sun right behind it, giving it an alluring view. Interesting place…

The glass window and the garden are well kept; clean and tidy. This destroys any idea of it being abandoned. Abandoned towers don't look this beautiful, this lively. It's obvious that it's occupied. The aura around the tower is pretty chilly, so I'm not surprised when a cold breeze blows past us. Despite the sun being out for the first time in three months, the temperature hasn't changed one degree. I look at the Dobe and feel a little bad; the poor guy is practically made of jelly, if his shaking is any indication.

Our plan is to wait until we hear the disturbance, so we set up camp. I swear Naruto's never looked so relieved. We eat cup ramen, much to my horror, and stay up. At around ten at night, that's when things get very idiotic. We hear stupid wooing sounds from the tower, I think that they mean to sound like ghosts; and it's obvious that there're more than one of them and they're all very male. I see Neji shaking his head at the thought of wasting his time with stuff like this. Even I'm not use to it. When I was still with Orochimaru; I'd never had to do stuff like this. I was almost always sent on missions that required me to kill a lot of people. So doing stuff like this is very… … stupefying.

I growl for the hundredth time and glare at the Dobe. "Hurry up idiot. Stop being such a baby," I tease him. A little teasing and he'd be on his merry little way into the tower. He needs to get over his fear; who's ever heard of a Hokage being afraid of ghosts?

In the end he gives in and trots into the tower after us, immediately clutching onto Itachi who's having the time of his life. What I notice is that the grip that Naruto has on Itachi is, surprisingly, not from fear, but it almost looks he's protecting him. I narrow my eyes at this. Doesn't the Dobe know that right now I'm trying to win my brother back? How am I to do that if my brother thinks that _I_ can't protect him? '_Ooh, looks like we have ourselves a little problem… or competition if you will…_' I scoff; the Dobe is anything but a competition. The thought makes me agitated non-the-less.

We walk up to the bottom of the stairs and look around. There are only a few candles lit, but there's enough light from the moon to light up the whole tower. The curtains over the large windows are velvet red, almost glowing in the light of the moon. The tower's pretty clean and almost sparkles. The atmosphere is tense with anticipation and anxiety, even though it shouldn't because this is an easy mission. The tower isn't even dark, so I roll my eyes when Naruto glances around with a curious expression; he's probably forgotten to be scared. The idiot.

From a huge, wooden closet up against a wall, we all hear the sound of coughing, loud and patchy, like there's too much dust in the air. Naruto gets scared shitless again.

"Listen Uchiha, I think you gave the ghosts a cold," Hyuuga teases, and if there isn't a smirk on his dam pretty face, I'd have thought he was being serious as hell. I can only twitch my eyebrows in annoyance though. Damn him and his witty comments, doesn't he have anything better to do?

'_Be quiet, you idiot. You'll blow our cover!_' We hear again; this time in a whisper just a bit louder than a yell. Are they serious? What kind of ninja hides in a closet? But then I think of Kakashi. If there's anyone I think can be crazy enough to hide in such places, I think he can do it.

There's a growl of annoyance that escapes me. This is a total waste of my time. I want to go back home and get some well deserved rest. Why, because I have a cold courtesy of my torturous, manipulative brother. "Let's just get them and head back," I grunt. I make an attempt to go to the closet, but a soft hand on my shoulder stops me. I turn questionably to my Aniki and shiver when I see the tiny cheeky smile at the corner of his lips. It isn't that noticeable, but I certainly notice it. Whatever he plans is going to end with me miserable

"No, Otouto. Let's stay and enjoy whatever show they have in store for us. I'm sure they're quite entertaining," he whispers but the others hear him anyway. Great; I'm once again going to suffer at the hands of my brother who wants to be entertained by horrible ninjas pretending to be ghosts. Someone way up there is being a real bitch.

"Fine, but hurry it up," I snap. I wouldn't be able to say no to him anyway.

They all smirk, except Naruto, and go their separate ways. Naruto clings onto Itachi tightly, going wherever he goes. We might as well enjoy a free ride into a haunted house. I hear the _ghosts_ sigh in relief, no doubt thinking that we haven't heard them and are leaving them alone. I also can't help but feel that the voices are vaguely familiar. Shaking my head, I head upstairs. The steps are steady and strong, surprisingly, and there's hardly any dust. The colour scheme and the lighting all remind me of my brother; who's the epitome of dark, pretty and mysterious… if not a little alluring.

'_God, you are so wrong, you know that? Who the heck thinks that way about their only brother?_' I narrow my eyes in anger. It's hard even just thinking that he's beautiful; I don't need my own head warring against me. '_You know, there are reasons incest is looked down upon in society_,' the voice reasons. I don't think it needs to be too worried. I can't say I love my brother completely. Any moment now, if his memories are to come back, I know I'd kill him in an instance. My hatred for the clan killer cannot be too easily dismissed. I would never get rid of that hatred; it's already drilled into my head and my heart. It's something too permanent.

I roll my eyes when I hear the horribly fake voices of the so-called ghosts. Do they really think that I'm that stupid? But I give them a little credit though. They're pretty reckless, almost like a joke, but I sense that their chakras are abnormal, almost in liquid flows, whereas normally it should be fierce, powerful. I tense for a millisecond when I realise what these ninjas are doing. It's all a genjutsu. The whole tower, it's too clean and new looking to be real. These horrible ninjas are using genjutsu; even before we got here it was up. And they're pretty good too, to fool even the Byakuugan and myself… till this long. I pull my arms up and form the release sign 'Kai', but nothing happens; the chakra flow doesn't even waver.

This is going to take longer than I first thought. I have to warn Itachi and Naruto. None of them are any good at detecting genjutsu; well… maybe Itachi, but he wouldn't know what to do about it. I haven't taught him yet and Naruto is never the genjutsu type. I make my way over to where I suspect they're heading and only to freeze mid step.

I stare, stare and stare some more. It seems that I didn't need to look for long, because there he stands in all his dark glory. This is where I can't tell if it's a genjutsu or not; it's very hard to tell. Itachi is near the large window, his hand on the frame as he looks at me with eyes too loving for me to deserve. My heart does this leaping thing and flips about. I never knew that anyone could look at someone else with so much love in one gaze. My mouth suddenly feels dry, like oh my god I think my tongue is crumbling off, so I lick around for moisture. I watch as he tilts his head to the side a little and give me a beautifully haunting smile. He turns completely to face me and beckons with his hand for me to come forward. And like a man under a spell, I go to him.

All thoughts of the genjutsu and the whole mission go out the window when he directs his smile towards me, still so cold and still so calculating. He's the perfect example of beauty, and I find that it hurts. It hurts how much he brings out something in me that I've never felt before, something primal, hot and consuming. After a few steps I stop just in front of him and stare some more. I don't think I've been blinking. Really, how am I meant to look away from such a sight? I'm scared that if I look away from him, he'd disappear like a dream, like all those dreams I've ever had of him. I swallow a lump in my throat and gasp for breath. I must make a pathetic sight, gasping like a man drowning just at the sight of his brother under a different light.

I raise my arm towards a pale, fragile looking face; not mine. When the little thing is in the palm of my hand, there's a feeling inside that makes me feel too large, too monstrous. How easy it would be to break his jaw if I just squeeze. His face is round and small; just like our mother's and has a deceivingly gentle feel to it. No, it would not be easy at all to break him. He's a fighter, and I doubt I'll even be able to attempt it. Still I marvel at how his face fits so perfectly in my hand, like a 'meant-to-be'. His soft smile grows a little bigger and I wonder what he has to smile about. He nuzzles into my hand and I caress his cheek gently; so soft and unblemished. It's almost impossible to believe that he's been in battles and won them all. The large, pale hand, my hand, comes to a halt when the dark bruises around his neck screams out at me. That's me, I did that to him.

His smell, the smell that's just pure Itachi, it's something that I can breathe in all day long and still want more. It's the scent that I've missed for so long. His small glowing form sends everything else in the room into darkness. The air around him tempts me, testing my will to keep my hands to myself and lure me in. "Otouto," he whispers and the unknown feeling that I haven't felt all week comes back, straight down to the pit of my stomach… … and maybe lower. I unconsciously lean in for more of his addicting scent. There's a mist somewhere in my head, and I can't even seem to remember my own birthday. I can't think straight, only of Itachi, only Itachi…

Then all hell breaks loose.

He turns his head a little and I feel his hot breath on my face. That's all I need to lose my control and give in. There's a mantra going on, something like '_he wants it too, he wants it too, it's okay_.' I give him a small peck on the lip; see if he disappears and I wake up. His lips are soft and full and I want more. My kisses, soft and gentle, turn needy and desperate, so much like the feeling in the pit of my stomach. I suck and nibble at his lips; they're wet with both our saliva and so, so soft! I explore his hot cavern, going down deeper and deeper and trail my kisses and sucking down south. I give his bruises the same treatment as his lips as I hold onto him tightly. He tilts his head away to give me more access, and at this point I think my grips on him become a little too tight, forceful.

I should stop this before it gets out of hand, but I can't bring myself to care, not when I'm so hungry for more.

I hear him gasp softly and urgently push him back to the window sill, trapping him there. He can't back out now, can't try and stop it when he's the one who started it. It's his fault for tempting me like this. Slender hands get lost in my hair as he gives me soft moans, as if to put me at ease, to say that he won't try to stop. I bite down on his collarbone and relish in the sound of his hitched panting. Needily thrusting my hips forward, into his slender ones, I throw my head back and growl like an animal in heat. He lets out a whimper, wanting more from me I'm sure. I'm ready to give him more, to give him _all_, when I hear the distant, quiet "Kai."

I blink a few times, eyes suddenly too try and itchy, and take in my surroundings. The beautifully haunting tower is no more. In its place are broken floorboards and broken glass windows and spider webs and dusk bunnies. The red curtains are now stained brown and ripped, covered in heavy layers of dust. There are a few leaves in corners and a chandelier is in the centre of the floor; broken and chattered. There are no lights; the candles have disappeared, leaving the moon as the only source of light, and it's lost its glory.

The others are standing above me, looking at me with various expressions of pity. I sense the ANBU outside, closer to the tower than before, and they must be enjoying the show. Slowly I sit up, suppressing several winces. My arousal tents in my pants, and I hope to god that it's dark enough for the others to not notice. Oh god, maybe that's why they're giving me weird looks. Did they see the whole thing? Humiliation burns an angry path down to my chest, from my head, and it's taking everything in me not to lash out. In Orochimaru's hideout I was the best, never made a mistake like this. So what the hell's changed? "Hehe, teme we totally saved your ass," I hear from my left. Less I open my mouth and say something truly harmful, I silently get up and dust myself off. I notice a wet spot on the blonde's jacket, drool probably, but stay silent.

"It was a trap, a genjutsu from the start," Shikamaru starts. "They set one up for each of us using our weaknesses… or the source of our longing." I look over to the three ninjas tied up together, the source of all this mayhem and raise my eyebrows when I see the clothes they're wearing. I recognise them; they were the ninjas trying to get revenge on Kakashi years ago. Back then, team seven was also trying to see beneath Kakashi's mask, so it kind of got chaotic. Small world this is.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

We hop from tree to tree in the dead of the night, finally on our way home. We just came back from delivering the three hooligans to the local town. We didn't even bother to listen to what their purpose was for pretending to be ghosts. We just want to go home. I feel a little better when I discovered that the reason I didn't see through the genjutsu was because the cold affected my chakra system, spurring it to go haywire. I should be strong enough that it shouldn't even affect my chakra network, but it makes me feel better knowing it wasn't in my control. I didn't even know that I had my Sharingan activated until Aniki pointed it out to me. During this trip I make sure to stay away from him, just to calm down. Deep down, I know I _should_ be disgusted, but I'm not… and that's the problem. I should be. I contemplate on this as we travel through the forest; making sure to keep quiet and not disturb the wild animals. We're all quiet, choosing not to talk because when we do, puffy white clouds come from our mouth and cloud our sight. It's not a thing we can risk during a mission.

"What genjutsu did you see, Teme?" the Dobe asks.

"I saw a naked woman in a bathtub full of chocolate holding a puppy in her hands," if the Dobe believes a word I just said, I'd probably never look at him in the same light ever again. He looks at me suspiciously, as if he's really thinking about _thinking_ about it. Tough, if I don't want to tell him I have the hots for my own brother, then I won't tell him. I don't even realise how ridiculous my answer is until I hear Itachi chuckling, quietly and almost shyly.

"Wow, bastard, you're a perv," the Dobe mumbles. I only glare in return.

"What did _you_ see?" I ask him, see how he likes it. He turns a bright red and tilts his head away, refusing to answer.

Neji smirks. "He saw an ocean of ramen. We found him drooling and mumbling about it," he answers instead. Naruto laughs nervously and holds his hands up in a surrender sign. I can only roll my eyes; typical. That explains the wet spot on his black and orange jacket. I look away; at least the Dobe's fantasy is… not a taboo.

"What did you see anyway, Neji?" Naruto retorts.

We wait for an answer but none comes, so we move on to Shikamaru. He obviously saw clouds, since Neji found him sleeping. Apparently he wasn't even trying to dispel the genjutsu. Then we turn to Aniki.

"I didn't see anything. There was someone there. I think he helped me," he bluntly says. I immediately turn my head away when he finishes, less I risk getting an erection in the middle of the forest. Then what he said hits me.

"Someone was there with you, who?" I ask. He never gets to answer, however. Two potent chakra signatures appear on the trees in front of us and we immediately stop, preparing for battle, because they're certainly not friends. The ANBU following us react the same way

"That someone," Itachi says, looking at the Akatsuki member with a Venus fly trap around his head.

"See? Told you he's still alive," the _man_ says, if he can even be called a man. My Sharingan flares to life when I see the other man, the one wearing an orange mask. The mask tilts sideway, in a move too curious and childlike. The hole on its right side, where an eye is probably located, focuses on Itachi, staring long and calculating and just too intense. My brother doesn't even seem affected. I can tell he's wary, but not scared. That's so like him. It happens in less than half a minute seconds though. They appear, they talk to each other and they disappear again. We couldn't even attempt to get our kunai out.

When they're both gone, we're left to confuse over the encounter. No doubt the ANBU would report this onto their mission report, and the Hokage would freak out and try to keep the Dobe in the village, and Naruto would complain and try to change her mind. But now it isn't about Naruto anymore, it's about my brother too. I don't know what that was about, whether they want to kill Itachi now that he's useless to them, or whether they want him back; because that man in the orange mask, there's something about the way he looked at Itachi. There's something in that gaze tells me that having Itachi all to myself is just too easy, too easy to be real.

* * *

First lemon scene ever! Go easy on me... and review!


	7. Chapter 6

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaiming: I own nothing!

**Konoha**

I'm acting suspicious, I know that. Ever since that mission, I've been welcoming all kinds of distractions; whether it's Naruto; Karin; Sakura; or even the voice in my head, which is just plain crazy. And because I don't tell them off or walk away; they suspect that I'm up to something, like trying to strangle my brother again. Naruto's been the wariest. He keeps close to Itachi, always on the lookout for my clutching hands. He doesn't need to worry though; I only need the distractions so that I won't stare at my brother all day. I know that this is all wrong. The Uchihas marry other Uchihas sure, but not this close in family. Our mother and father were distant, _distant_ cousins. It was a traditional to keep the Sharingan running through the clan. Plus, we're both men; it just wouldn't work out. And why the hell am I even _considering_ this?

I glance at them both in the corner of my eyes. Karin's checking Itachi for injuries. It's ridiculous, really. The mission was over two days ago. You'd think that if he had any injuries, it would all heal by now. But she insists, wanting to use her healing abilities that she learnt from Sakura to good use. Suigetsu is babbling something to Itachi, who looks very, very intrigued. I growl softly under my breath and look down at my breakfast. Would I never get some alone time with _my_ brother? Plus, how on earth am I supposed to avoid Aniki if he has cute little braids on his head? Why would he even let Karin braid his hair anymore anyway? Doesn't he realise what damage this is doing to his reputation?

Then I glance at Naruto and sigh in defeat. He's here a lot nowadays; always here for meals, showers and everything else. His apartment is probably covered in dust by too. I tried to get rid of him, really I tried, but he just kept coming back. He's my best friend, still is, but why oh why must all the people in my life be so weird?

I roll my eyes when Naruto laughs at something and snorted orange juice from his nose. I wonder what that annoying voice in my head is doing. It's been very quiet lately, not that I'm complaining or anything. But I guess I'm maturing, so I don't need its guidance anymore. You know, haven't been up to anything too naughty lately, like plotting my amnesiac brother's demise and all; so no need for conscience to tell me off.

There's something my instincts aretrying to tell me. I know that Kakashi and Naruto feel it too. No, every eligible shinobi can feel it. I saw the difference yesterday. Everybody was tense, as if awaiting something very big. It's in the air and all around, the quiet and the calm before the storm. It's almost tangible, how intense it seems. Itachi, it seemed, was the first one to notice, but he was doing a good job at acting unaware.

"Teme, Hinata and her team are sparing today. You wanna drop in and have a spar?" the Dobe yelld across the table. I'm not even three metres away from him. But, I suppose, a spar with a different team would serve as good distraction. That would mean that I can't bring Itachi along; seeing that he is the source of my unwanted attention. I silently nod, get up and head to my room. I begrudgingly discard my clothes before putting on a dark blue long sleeved shirt with Jounin slacks; simple and convenient.

I strap on my weapon gears and stare a little at the sword that I got from my stay with Orochimaru. I stare for a few minutes before dropping it onto my bed. I have to work on my other skills and not just depend on my sword too much; it's not very healthy for a ninja. This spar would be my chance to relief some stress. Everybody's been too tense lately and the reason still remains unknown.

Team Hebi, Naruto, Itachi and I walk towards training ground number eight, where we will meet Kurenai's team. But before that, we have to drop Itachi off to his babysitter, where he ends up doing the babysitting. His babysitters were definitely not of my choice. It'd been Naruto and Kakashi's idea. They'd decided that Itachi's babysitters would be the Konohamaru corp. I agreed, because it was either that or leaving him with Iruka-sensei. And I didn't want to bother my old academy sensei too much; the man's got enough on his plate. Konohamaru and his friends would no doubt keep Itachi entertained and amused through the whole day, while the guarding ANBU would keep all of them safe. It's a win-win thing…

Of course, that's not to say that my brother is completely helpless. He's still deadly, even if he doesn't quite realise it yet; most of the time he isn't aware of how he presents himself, cold and calculating and unknown. Sometimes I find him eyeing the kunai I keep hidden around the house, in case of emergencies. The fact that he can even locate those _hidden_ knives is just a sign that he's a ninja through and through. Itachi is harmless, but not helpless. He's harmless when he wants to be, and that's most of the time these days.

The kids and Aniki have never really met, but Itachi's harmless when he's amused and the kids would obey Naruto's command without a second thought when he tells them to be nice. When Naruto said that not a scratch is to be found on Itachi; the kids thought of it as a protection mission. Plus, those kids are friendly, chatty kids; they'd keep Itachi entertained. Though, in a way, it's like lighting a candle dangerously close to a box of fireworks. It's just a ticking time bomb. I said the kids are friendly, but that doesn't mean they're not trouble. They idolize Naruto after all.

We take our time getting to the training ground, basking in the early heat the rising sun offers. The citizens open their shops as the sound of waking babies' cries and children ring out. It amazes me how these people never wake up and not have a smile on their faces. They would always wake up and wonder what would happen today, completely unaware of the tense atmosphere their shinobis are feeling. But I suppose that living in a village like Konoha would make them like this, protected and unharmed.

They know that Konoha is always in the constant threat of war, invasions and many more. Because of this knowledge, they shower their precious ones with unconditioned love. They knew that any minute now, they could lose their beloveds. That's why everyday they spend their time showing how much they love each other. And they don't even realise they're doing it. This train of thoughts _almost_, _**almost**_, has me running like a baby for my brother and holding on to him like crazy. Almost, though…

We drop Itachi off at the Sarutobi clan's district. Itachi's eyes brighten at the sight of the children. '_He adores kids, you idiot_' a voice at the back of my head nags, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. My eyes widen when I recognise the voice. Ino's. What happened to the Fifth's voice? '_You like? It took me a while to get it this accurate. That girl's voice is a bit high on the pitch, so it took a bit of concentration_' I hear. And here I think my conscience only exists to annoy me.

I'm way too shock to even attempt to reply. '_Come now, you didn't think that I would leave you all alone, now did you?_' I can almost see the smirk that it must be wearing; obviously it would look just like me smirking. '_Would you stop referring to me as an 'it'? It's actually quite offensive. I'm not an animal, you know?_' Funny, it almost feels like the whole world was crashing down on me. It's more than I can bear. The Fifth's voice was something that I could listen to, because I respect that person. But this? This's just pure torture.

We hear loud barking and even louder laughter when we arrive at the training ground. Naruto grins widely before bouncing over to the team, obviously excited about a sparing match against Kiba. Karin and Sakura skip over to Hinata, who's smiling softly at them. The sky may be clear and very blue, but the temperature's still down right freezing. I have to keep my chakra running along with my blood to keep myself warm. Then comes the guilt; I've forgotten to unseal Itachi's chakra again. I've really been meaning to do that for like, three days now, but I keep getting distracted every time I see him. It's really disturbing when you feel something like that towards your own brother. I swear that the gods are messing around with me, how else can I explain my feelings? Did I mention that only weeks before I meant to kill him?

The two idiots greet each other, very loudly I might add, and are joined by Suigetsu, who's also just as loud. Really, I'm surprised that my ears are still intact and working. I bristle and lean back on a tree, waiting for these people to finish their conversations. Even Juugo is talking with Shino, but he didn't talk _to_ Shino, but rather to Shino's bugs. I can only silently observe them. They're all happy, friendly towards each other, but at the same time, they can all sense each others' need to forget about the tense atmosphere, to forget the heavy cloud that hangs over the village. Whatever it is that's making shinobis on alert, it's big.

The spar goes underway surprisingly well. It serves as a good distraction that we can fight and forget to be tense. Kiba wants to fight me and kick my ass, but ends up getting his ass kicked. We all grab a partner and switch around, sparing with a different person every half and hour. I notice that team Hebi was at first a bit tense, but I guess I understand. They've spent years in a hideout and months always on the run with me, so living in a village with lots of weird, friendly people would have them on guard. That's completely understandable. Then there's Kakahsi, who kept sending me knowing looks. That's been getting slightly on my nerves.

Then, just as Kiba has been about to throw a punch, my train of thoughts go back to _him_. My mind goes into a daze and my body relaxes on its own, a very bad thing to do during a spar. I feel it and I can't stop it. My eyes see the punch being thrown, but my mind doesn't even try to register it. I can only watch helplessly as the punch connect, sending me back a few metres into a tree. I shake my head roughly, angry that I would let such a simple thought distract me in the middle of a fight. I was trained better than this and by one of the legendary Sannin no less. Funny how one thought of a man can distract me like this? I've killed thousands in my stay with the snake; this is pretty humiliating. I stand up and watch as Kiba does an imitation of a fish; he's actually pretty good at it too. Ha, the idiot number two probably didn't think he could land a punch on me.

"Dude…," he starts.

"Times up," I interrupt him; not wanting to hear what he has to say. I see it, I feel it, but I don't need to hear it too.

I roll my eyes as he sulks and stomps away to sit with his waiting team. Then I watch as they shower him with praises and stuff. I turn my sight on my teams, who are arguing and hitting and creating chaos. It's amazing how peace can be so near chaos. I stare for a while before shrugging and walking over; this at least makes us different. Despite our behaviour, our team is probably the strongest. And that's a fact. "Alright, free ramen on the house. Meet you there," Kakashi announces before he disappears in a teleporting jutsu. Naruto immediately runs off towards the ramen stand, leaving a trail of dust behind. I don't think anything can get between him and his ramen.

I roll my eyes before following; this is free ramen after all. My own team follows, with Karin and Suigetsu going at it again; this time they're arguing about the existence of the ramen god. I can't believe they'd actually consider it; who the hell listens to the Dobe about stuff like this?

"Here you go," the ramen stand's owner says, handing Naruto the largest bowl. The man was always so cheerful. It got on my nerves a lot in my younger years. But now I see that he's happy; happy to own a shop where he can do what he loves doing; cooking. He's happy that he has a daughter who's kind and sweet and loves cooking just as much. And he's happy to live in a village where all kinds of customers enter and ask for the foods that he cook. I can see that the man loves his village and feels proud when our team discuss our latest mission and he listens, nodding when a part comes up that interests him most. In some way, I guess he reminds a lot of people of the Sandaime; kind, funny and no doubt old. And then there's his beloved daughter, Ayame who loves her father very much. She adores Naruto too, whom she came to think of as a little brother.

I watch Naruto slurp his ramen happily, not listening as Sakura nags at him about table manners. I look over to Kakashi's bowl and am not surprised to find that it's empty. This raises a little curiosity, the determination to see under his mask returns after years of absent. If I'd just met him, I wouldn't know that he's a jounin, an ex-ANBU. His outer appearance appears aloof and lazy, portraying a man who has no motivation in his life what so ever. But then I get a glimpse of the real him; the deadly warrior who would do anything to protect his precious ones. He's a man who knows what real pain feels like… and wouldn't let his students feel it again.

"One more bowl, old man!" I hear. I haven't even started my first one yet and he's already on what, his third bowl? I swear he keeps a black hole in his stomach. The amount of food that he eats is unbelievable. I don't know whether to be disgusted or amazed. He slurps loudly, the noodle strings tangling before slapping a piece of meat onto Karin's face. She sits stills for a few seconds, before turning her head towards the frozen blond. He yelps as she pounces, desperate for his head and revenge. He doesn't have a chance. Suigetsu shakes his head before saying, "It must be that time of the month." If I'm actually a better friend, I'd told him to shut up. I could only raise an eyebrow, because if there's anyone who knew Karin's mood, it has to be Suigetsu. He's the one who receives Karin's punches more than anyone, after all. Although Naruto seems to be catching up on that record.

Sakura has a look on her face; surprise and realisation and disgust all in one. She's probably realising what she looks like when she bashes Naruto. Although she doesn't seem to look guilty at all. She isn't one to regret things much, only trying to make up to her mistakes. I admit that she's much stronger than before, finally worthy of being called a Kunoichi of the Leaves.

She specialises in the field of medic and genjutsu, which is something I'm not really surprised about. If I'm not an Uchiha through and through, I might even say out loud that it's admirable. I heard that she was trained by the Hokage and it must be true if our last encounter in Sound was any indication.

But I can't help but analyse; if she had training in the field of genjutsu from Itachi, she would almost be as good as Kurenai-sensei. And I've seen it, the looks she keeps sending me and the rest of the team whenever she thinks I'm not looking. She's truly happy now, I can see it. She's happy that her family is back together again. Despite her annoying crush and her random violent streak, she's a nice girl; one that mother would have loved for me to bring home to meet.

Putting my chopsticks down, I listen as the children run frantically, trying to get back to the academy from their midday break, and not wanting Iruka-sensei to use the head explosion technique on them. I smirk when that particular memory flashes through my head. We were about nine, I think, and the students just refused to shut up and listen. Iruka had been twitching for an hour and had finally had it, so he used his secret weapon; the Head Exposion Jutsu.

The jutsu worked like this; he'd yell for us to shut up, blood rushed to his head… and BAM! Jutsu completed. After that we'd shut up whenever we saw red on his face. We were only nine, seeing a man's head explode wasn't the most enjoyable thing to see. I admit, I actually miss Iruka-sensei. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't dislike the man, now I see why he's one of the first on the dobe's favourite list. Despite his chuunin ranking, I've seen what the man can do. If there was anything threatening his students, he would stop at nothing to protect them. He's dedicated like that…

"Alright my not so beloved team, thanks for the free meal," Kakshi says. He waves once, eye still glued to his beloved book as he disappears, a cheeky chuckle echoing in his shadow. Naruto freezes, his face turning blue from the lack of oxygen as his poor brain tries to absorb what Kakashi just said. I roll my eyes and get my money out, knowing that he'd turned to me and ask for a favour. I pay for everyone too and stand up; I vow to get my revenge on my so called sensei. Money doesn't grow on trees damn it! I see the Dobe and Suigetsu sigh in relief, happy that it isn't their money on the counter. Cheap bastards.

"I'm going for a walk," I say, getting their full attention. "Naruto, pick Itachi up." I hate to make Itachi sound helpless, or even in need of protecting, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Also I really need a walk. All that I've seen today; the relationships between Konoha and its people, the relationship between the people themselves; I need time to think. Naruto yells "Yosh!" before dashing off towards Itachi's direction. I nod to the others and walk off towards the mountain behind the Hokage Tower, not waiting for a reply from the others.

I walk and walk, letting my sight wander over civilians. They're defenceless and vulnerable, completely depending on their ninjas to protect them. I blink when I hear my name being called, loudly I might add. I look at the store that I was staring at and realise that it's the Yamanaka Flower Shop and Ino has been the one calling me. She waves her arms wildly about, trying to get my drifting attention. I give in and head into the shop. My sense of smell is instantly overwhelmed with the smell of floral and moisture. The smells are pleasant. They're different from the smell of the forest we constantly travel through, these smells are more relaxing while the smell of the forest ignites the anxiety and adrenaline within us shinobi. My eyes water slightly at the bombshell of colours that attack my oversensitive eyes.

"Sasuke-kun, welcome. Do you like my family's flower shop?" Ino greets me. An old couple listens to us with a knowing smile and I hope to god that they're not thinking what I think they're thinking.

I look around some more before deciding to be honest with her. "Yes, it's… … colourful."

She cups her hands together and squeals. I nervously glance at the old couple, who are chuckling and muttering 'young love' under their breath. I can only twitch; there's something very wrong with this picture. '_What, the gender of your partner?_' I hear. I don't know whether it's the real Ino or the one in me head, so I blurt out, "What the hell are you talking about?"

She stills and halts all noise. "Pardon me, Sasuke-kun?" Ah, so it was all in my head after all. I should've known.

I shake my head and make my face into a gentler expression. "Nothing," I grunt. Apparently she has enough experience as my ex-stalker to understand that I mean to say 'sorry.'

"Oh, well have a look around. See what kind of flower you like," she beams at me. If I remember correctly, which I do, she was always a cheerful girl. Even when she wasn't trying to flirt with me, she would always be smiling. That's a good quality I think. She smiles so much it makes up for all the brooding people –like me- in the world. I give her a silent nod and walk deeper into the shop. I see a whole a jungle of flowers, there's no wonder why people call this the best flower shop in the village. There are a lot of rare flowers and rarely any common ones.

I walk around and round, completely aware of Ino's fluttering eyes on my back… and maybe lower. But I needn't worry; her looks for me are just playful looks nowadays, unlike Sakura and Karin. My eyes drink in the ranges of bright colours. And then, as if I'm seeing the sun for the first time, I see _it_. A small pot about the size of my fist sits in the corner, behind all the other more colourful flowers. It sits innocently enough and yet it gives off an aura of mystery and lust. The pot is black, unlike all the others, which are all different ranges of brown.

A thin, dark, green vine shoots out about six inches from the small pot, like an illusion of a flowing tendril. On top of the tendril hangs a small rose bud, small, young and yet to bloom. What catches my attention is the colour of it. It isn't red and it's black, but rather a perfect combination. Marron, yes that's it. A smaller bud hangs just below the first one, using the other's size as protection.

Without a hint of hesitation I pick it up and gently bring it to the front counter, where Ino is watching me with a knowing smile on her face. I try to pay her for it, really I did, but she insists that it's a late welcome home present. I can only nod in thanks and walk out of the shop, the small pot nestled gently in my arms. A few kids run past and smile at me, admiring the unique flower pot in my arms. Their parents hurriedly shoo them off, telling them not to be late for their next class. One small genuine smile blooms across my face, though I'm sure it's much too small for anyone to see.

I see a few unlucky gennins chasing THE cat, the one named Tora, owned by the Feudal Lord's wife. I remember chasing that cat over, and over, and over, and over, and over and over again. That had been very humiliating, and I sure as hell don't want to be doing that again. Let some other unlucky gennins chase after it.

I pass by a bar, hearing loud laughter drifting from it. I hear bells ringing as customers enter and exit shops and kids laughing at something an old man said. I grip the pot tighter and walk on. Things are bright and happy… fragile. It takes a long moment, but I finally realise what it is. It's peace.

I make it onto the Sandaime's head, on the statue I mean, and sit down. A thick cloud drifts over the sunset, blocking out its rays and I know that soon we'd lose the sun again. The thick clouds would return as we suffer the last stage of winter/autumn. I look down at the flowers and gently touch their petite bud, being extremely careful. Next to it I feel like a giant. I sniff and let my gaze wander over the village, basking in what little remains of the sun's warmth.

This village has people who would die to protect it. It has citizens who live and work together and young generations ready to spring into action. It has mothers who adore their children and old people who watch us grow up. It has powerful shinobis lead by one great fighter. It has life; it has the will of fire. I understand now. And it's embarrassing how long it took me. What Naruto has been trying to tell me all these years ago, about being so much stronger fighting to protect and not to kill. I understand that now because as I look down at the peaceful village, I feel that warm, flowing fire inside of me. It feels a little like something I used to feel when my mother kissed my forehead before I left for the academy. It urges me to protect and cherish. It makes me realise that this is my home; where I belong.

What an unexpected turn of events.

"Yeah, I _would_ die to protect this village," I whisper into the wind, answering the Sandaime's questions all those years ago. I stand up and breathe in the breeze that the wind carries to me. Now I know what the Will of Fire feels like. It's the most wonderful feeling a shinobi can have, the greatest honour. It can also be mistaken for anxiety. It feels like it, the roll in the stomach and the head in the chest.

A calloused yet petite hand lands on my shoulder, pulling me from my trance. I turn around and feel my heart fill up. The warm fluttering feeling increases as I look adoringly at my brother. The wind blows his soft hair into his face and he lets it. It's so difficult to believe that this was the man who murdered his own family just to test his skills. I look behind him and see them, the people who are my friends. The hand that's on my shoulder drifts down to my left, free hand, gripping it gently. He tugs for a little and whispers, "Come on home, Otouto."

* * *

Review... Please...


	8. Chapter 7

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto.

**Dawn**

My skin tingles as I move. The cold somehow seeps through the doors and windows to bite into me. The sun isn't visible through the thick, grey clouds, so I have no idea what time of the day it is. I glance out the window, seeing no more than a few metres outside. Cold, thick mists cover the area. There are barely any leaves on trees now as animals go into hiding, trying to survive the season. I make a move to get up from my bed, but my muscles refuse to budge, locked tight. I lay frozen for a while, trying to tame my panic rising. I'm positive there's a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why my muscles don't obey me. Today is the day. I don't know what today is, exactly, but the feelings that we've all been having will all end today. Something big is going to happen, I can just feel it.

I push my panic into the back of my mind and finally get up, slow and heavy. My muscles tremble from being tensed for three days straight. I change into the clothes I wore at Sound, just without the large purple snake. I don't know what I'm preparing for, but I know that I have to be ready, ready for anything. I take a deep breath and step into the hallway. I instantly feel the coldness and the loneliness. Suddenly I feel like I'm living all alone all over again. I choke, and the panic rushes back to me.

My legs carry me to my brother's room, yes, he could save me. I forget to knock and stumble into the room and pant, devouring in the sight before me. Karin is playing with Itachi's hair again, pulling them into styles that I've never seen before while Suigetsu looks through a bunch of justu scrolls. It doesn't look like he's really taking in the words though. Juugo is leaning against Itachi's bed, drawing, surprisingly, on a blank scroll. They're all together, _we're_ all together. The lifelessness outside leaves me, and I guess I don't have to be with the people I like to feel less lonely.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun. How are you this morning?" Karin greets me, her eyes not leaving aniki's head. I must be in a daze still, because I answer her with a gentle hum.

Aniki turns around and gives me a nod, his expression still blank and cold. I swear I hear the sound of my heart breaking. I want him to treat me differently from the others. I want special treatment damn it! He turns his whole body around and my eyes brighten, turns hopeful. He's holding the flower pot that I gave to him yesterday. The small buds are a tiny bit bigger and Itachi's finger is stroking them softly. I nod to the others in the room and walk towards my brother. I carefully sit down on his bed and stroke the buds. Their soft smell mixes with Aniki's more addicting scent and I take a deep breath. Karin must have finished with Itachi's hair, because he suddenly stands up and put the pot on the window sill, trying to give it as much sunlight as possible.

"What are you doing up so early, Otouto? It's only dawn," he softly says. I'm really glad that I can't see any bruise on his neck. "Growing boys need their rest." My right pointing finger twitches at the same time as my right eyelid. I curse whoever gave him that stupid book about teenagers and puberty.

"I don't know Aniki. Come on, lets have breakfast," I say, standing up. It's a bit early for breakfast, but anything to get away from the topic of me being a _growing boy_. They all nod and stand up, following me out into the hall way. They must feel the coldness too because they're all suddenly silent, wary. The whole house is dangerously dark and I wish Naruto is here to brighten the place up. It isn't just cold temperature-wise. We all sit around the table awkwardly; no one gets up to do anything. My lips are suddenly dry, so I lick at them. Frustrated, I drum my fingers lightly on the table. Things are just too tense, too quiet. I wish something would happen already. It's almost as if we're **all **waiting for the Hokage to send a message or something. It's pretty obvious at this point that she would eventually. It's just the wait that bugs us all. I want something to happen. My muscles are starting to cramp up again. Still, I make sure to keep my face blank.

"I'm… I'm not hungry," Suigetsu mumbles, his eyes sliding off to the side...

"Me neither," Karin follows immediately, as if she's been waiting for an excuse. She probably was.

That leaves me, my brother and Juugo. We cringe when we hear the chair screech along the floor. Itachi stands up, towering over us as if we're no more than a few bugs at his mercy. His slightly larger yukata hangs off his right shoulder, displaying his porcelain skin to my roaming eyes. And… it's so wrong of me to even look. He turns his dark, piercing eyes to me and I immediately tense. Why is he targeting me? Of all the people he could be looking at he chooses me. "Come with me, Otouto," he mutters, pulling his yukata back up. He still looks dignified. He walks out the back door, heading towards the lake. I obediently follow him, my throat too dry and my brain too mushy. Talk about bad influence.

I pass a bunch of blankets on my way out and natch one to take outside with me. It's not for me, though. I would be able to use my chakra to heat myself up, but Itachi's chakra is still sealed, and I always forget to unseal it. I follow his silhouette through the dark fog, never looking away les I risk losing him. I can't risk someone or something coming up and snatching my brother away, and it would be so easy in this thick fog. But I don't think I need to worry, the ANBU are keeping even tighter eyes in him. I know they, more than others, feel the tense atmosphere that washes over the village.

I think, with lots of hesitancy, that it feels like the calm before the storm. Now it's just the matter of finding out what that storm is.

We sit on the wooden walkway that stretches out over the water of the lake. Itachi dangles his legs over the edge, swinging it slightly as if to taunt me. The act in itself is only a little too innocent, and at this point, I really don't think that Itachi's as innocent as I first thought. I sit next to him, my legs, too, dangling over the edge. The fog is so thick that our feet disappear into it, the water invisible under the fog, and that makes me very edgy, so I snap and pull his legs away from the water and onto my lap. Who the heck knows what's in the water. I lock my arms in place so he wouldn't try to pull them back. He doesn't complain, so I relax my arms slightly, enjoying the feel of his legs. That sounds really weird doesn't it?

I see him lean back onto his arms and look up into the sky. He probably can't see much, the fog's too damn thick. I wrap the blanket around his lean body and hold his legs tighter, hoping to warm them up a bit. I don't really know why he led me out here, but I can wait. For him, I can wait however long. "Otouto," he starts to say. "What is happening? Why do I feel like I'm losing you?" His voice sounds so much softer, no longer cold and indifferent. I avert my eyes into the thick fog; I can't bear to look at him at the mention of our separation. It pains me, but I know that it would hurt him more. I remember when he told me that one of his fears is being separated from me. The other was something about turning into a doll because of how Karin treats him, but once again, that one is unimportant.

I gulp; I have to be strong for the both of us now. My left hand strikes random patterns on his blanket covered legs, comforting myself more than him I think. "Don't worry Aniki. I won't let anything take you away from me; I've just gotten you back, after all," I say, and it's when I say things like this that I have to remind myself not to think about what he did that made me hate him in the first place. As long as I stay clear from that subject, I can start to like him again. "What you're feeling now is what everybody else is feeling. We are all anxious about something big."

"And that _something_ is going to happen today, is it not?" he whispers. I look at him and can only gulp. I want to lie to him and tell him that everything is fine, but he knows that's not true, everybody does. Plus, he can tell perfectly when I'm lying.

He still seems doubtful, so I say, "Nothing will separate us, Aniki. I've hunted you down my whole life; I'm not letting you go that easily." I'm relief my voice sounds stronger than what I feel, as he relaxes a little at this. We sit silently for a while, not at all enjoying the cold, damp atmosphere. I take this chance to gather my thoughts, get things straight up in the noggin. It hasn't been right as of late.

"Otouto," he whispers suddenly. My hand stops tracing patterns on his legs for a millisecond, before resuming its task once more. "You have this… Sharingan, correct?" he asks. I try, really I try, to see what his intentions are, but it's really hard when his face is cold and expressionless. It's like trying to see through a brick wall. I nod hesitantly, keeping my face almost just as blank as his.

"And do I?" he questions. I don't know what brought this up suddenly, but I don't like it one bit. At the same time I can't really suspect him of planning something evil because my chakra is still mingled in his system, and it's keeping the jutsu going, preventing his memories from returning. Plus, he's a pacifist, result of growing up during a war I guess.

But I also can't risk it. I know that if he uses his Sharingan anymore, he'd be permanently blind. I've seen what it can do to him. During our battle back at the old Uchiha shrine, he missed many kunais that any Chuunin could dodge. I can't risk that, I just can't, and so I lie. I shake my head, making sure to keep my eyes on his cute little braids and not his piercing eyes.

He looks at me blankly for a little longer. Then he tilts his head to the side a little and scoots closer to me. He gently cups my face with his right hand and makes me turn towards him; my eyes instantly meeting his. My hands hold his legs tighter and bring them closer to my body. I feel his warm breath tingling on my chin from my place up here. I mentally leap for joy because I can honestly say that I'm taller than him now. And if I sound like a bastard when I say that my pride likes this little fact, then so be it. His eyes show so much love that I'm reminded of that night when we were in the tower and I was under a genjutsu. Now I'm so tempted to lean down and just _do_ something, preferably place my lips over his. It'd be too easy. It's crazy how much I want those lips, lips that used so say the most horrible words.

His lips –oh, those wonderful, pretty lips- twitch slightly; and it's just all I can do to assume that it's a smile meant for me. In return I give him a look, one that should show how much I adore him, even though I hate his alter ego with a passion. I have my Aniki back and that's more than enough for me. I would never let anyone take him from me. Seriously.

"I won't lose you, that is more than enough for me, Otouto," he whispers. And then, all too soon, he lets go of my face, a little hand sliding off, and stands up. He holds the blanket around his body tighter, a tiny odd against the cold, and waits for me to get up. I sigh quietly and get up. That little hand on my face is probably all the affection I'm getting from him today. We walk back quietly, just enjoying each other's presence. This time, I wonder what Itachi feels to all that's happening. I mean, I'm happy to have my brother back and live together again, but I don't know how _he_ feels about it. It's slightly unnerving; he might not even want to be here. It's not like he's shown any sign of being actually, truly happy.

'_That's ridiculous, he doesn't want to be separated from you, and doesn't that explain anything?_' I hear Ino's voice. This is where I wonder whose voice it'll steal next, and I have to wonder why my conscience just never sounds like _me_. It's probably because I never listen to myself, that's it… probably.

"Sasuke," I hear. We turn around and Kakashi looks back at us, serious looking and not bored for once. I don't even have to think twice to know that something is wrong. So it's finally started. This is where things go from bad to worse, it's written in the air… all around us.

"We have a meeting to attend, come on," he says. He keeps his eye on me, making it very clear that Itachi isn't to come with. But I just said that I won't leave him, so this doesn't bode well with me. "Come on," he hisses after a while, his one visible eyes narrowed and strained.

"He's coming too," I retort. Itachi looks at me with barely concealed concern, anxious that I might break my promise most likely. His lithe form shivers despite the thick blanket that covers his body. Or maybe he's shivering about something else. Kakashi drums his fingers against his thigh; they're tense and anxious looking, and tug at my sleeve, pulling me away from my beloved. That sounded really dramatic, didn't it?

We stop just a few yards away from my brother. I resist the urge to tell Kakashi that Itachi's got great hearing, and would probably hear us anyway. My brother looks at us with concern, standing silent and sill as a statue. When he averts his eyes from us and turn away, I know that he won't listen in on us. Kakashi block my view and stands in front of me. He leans in and whispers, "Don't be immature, Sasuke."

"Well why can't he come? Look who's acting immature," I hiss right back.

His face relaxes but his eye hardens, a sure sign that he's furious. "Sasuke," he starts in a much too calm voice, "this meeting is about something big and horrible, do you really want Itachi to get involved? The Hokage said that he was by all mean allowed to come, but I didn't want him to come because whoever comes to that meeting will be involved." It takes me a long, long time to let the words sink in and to actually understand, but when I do I can only stand there, frozen to the core. That I was close to putting Aniki in danger stabs at me. No, I'll make sure he stays away from _this_ subject, away from danger even if it means staying away from me.

I take a moment to think to myself that Itachi's mosre than capable of taking care of himself, and I'm just being selfish in keeping him here.

I sigh in defeat and nod once, then trot back and put a gentle smile on my face. I put a hand on my brother's shoulder and squeeze softly. "I won't be long, nii-san," I say. I see his eyes brighten when he hears me call him nii-san. I'm pretty sure that my eyes brightened too when he called me little brother. "It's just a meeting. I'll come back home strait away, alright?" He nod once, and that's all the sign I need. And then, in one quick movement, my lips are upon his forehead, near his hairline and so, so intimate. Then in the next moment, I'm gone, along with Kakahsi who leaves behind a cloud of smoke.

I really don't know what possessed me to do what I did, but it felt so right. My lips still tingle from the contact as my heart beats wildly. I'm sure of one thing thought, he has really soft skin and he smells very nice… very nice.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

The large hall is dimly lit as shinobi murmur amongst each other. We are all too tense to be any louder. Despite all the soft murmuring, there's always a constant humming from the walls, as if the murmuring is only there to cover the tension up. There are chakras running through these walls and I know that from the outside this hall is as silent as a graveyard. I don't recognise anyone here but Kakashi and myself. The atmosphere is very gloom, almost as if it already knows what going to happen. It's time like these that I wonder where the hell Naruto is; if there's anyone who can brighten a situation like this up, it's the Dobe.

Soon a more powerful source of chakra appears in the massive room, instantly gaining all of the attention. Godaime Hokage walks in, wearing her white robe, daring all to oppose her. If anyone is stupid enough to oppose her, I'd think it'd feel something like being chained to a shooting star. The Hokage stands at the front of the room, her fearful presence looming over her warriors, us, her people. It's time like this that there isn't any doubt that she's the leader. She always so lazy and loud, drinking and complaining that I almost forget that she's the Hokage. But now, this dark morning, she stands in front of her fighters, ready to guide us through whatever trouble is heading our way.

I have a slight moment where I find myself grateful that I've returned to Konoha. I'd hate to find myself her enemy.

Her amber eyes flare with the determination and it kind of makes my stomach drop… in a '_oh my god she's cool' _kind of way. I can see underneath her façade though, underneath it is fear, the fear that her people would not make it out, for the lives that will be lost. But she is the Hokage, it's on the top of her to do list to protect her people, including her shinobis. She is the Godaime Hokage, granddaughter of the Shodaime and one of the Legendary Sannin. And I don't think she's going down without a fight.

We all hear her clear her throat awkwardly; we've never had this large of a gathering in years, not since her ceremony of becoming Hokage. "You are all gathered here to be informed of the current status of Konoha and her neighbouring countries," she pauses for a few seconds, a muscle near her eyebrow twitching uncomfortably. Her eyes flash a little, indicating that the next news is not good. "We have been detecting many suspicious activities indicating war from Iwagakure. Negotiations have been… … exchanged. There was no denial from the opposition concerning war. We had no choice but to eliminate the threats immediately." She gave us all a long pause, waiting for us to let the news sink in. Eyes flew wide opened as gasps followed.

The negotiations would have been in a room, locked. And when she said that they had to eliminate the threat immediately, she meant that the enemies were killed, in their seat, during the negotiation. War is so ugly.

This means war. Unlike civil wars, this is so much bigger. A war against another of the five great nations means too much of everything, too much death, too much fighting even for shinobis and too little time to live… to love. My thoughts flash over my beloved brother, whom I'm very glad is not here; it means that he wouldn't have to be involved. I glance at Kakashi from the corner of my eyes, grateful. The book he usually reads is nowhere in sight, his shoulders tense and his eye hardened. I don't know his past that much, but I know that he was involved in the last Great Ninja War, the third one. I don't really know how I feel about all this. I don't even know why the Hokage is allowing me to attend this meeting, aren't I still the traitor, only here to get his brother's memories back? The war means little to me; it'll continue to be this way until Itachi and Naruto are involved. They're all that matter.

"B-But why, Hokage-sama?" one shinobi stutters, reality not yet sinking in. He sounds shock still, but he's probably less shocked than the others, since he's able to talk at all. "What about the treaty?"

The Hokage's eyes glaze over in concealed frustration. "Just paper," she answers. "The treaty's just a piece of paper, one they only signed because they were losing the war. This war is inevitable. It's like the third war never ended at all… just gave them time to regroup." Her tone is hard, and the rage cannot be completely concealed, no matter how collected she tries to remain.

There's another long pause, but this time, determination fills the large room. Most of the people here seem too eager to be determined, so I'm guessing that the actual prospect of a war hasn't sunk in yet. The Hokage's head snaps back up and her blazing eyes glaze over us all, filled with purpose and a little bit of mischief. This look reminds me of Naruto before he does something surprising and mind blowing. "This meeting has been divided into four meetings. Shinobis attend according to which side of the village they live in. You all live in the West side and, thus, are the last to attend. Right now, all available shinobis are scouting while some continue to operate missions. This coming war is to be kept from the civilians until further notice.

We do not want panic amongst us and alert the enemies of our knowledge. Our spies are reporting that the war generals in Iwagakure have detailed blueprints of our village," she pauses, waiting for the uproar to calm. "It was apparently not detailed enough. Our strategists suspect that they must still be gathering details of Konoha. They must have a way of seeing every corner of our village without being sensed. Only we don't know how they're doing it. Available ninjas are searching for that loophole," she pauses for breath. "After this meeting, you are all to act as if this meeting never took place until further notice. Some of you will be assigned to missions, take that chance to scout for spies. Those who won't be doing missions will be looking out for their spies."

She talks to her councillors while the others discuss among themselves. Kakashi and I stand frozen, watching as inexperienced chuunins panic and splutter nonsense. The look of panic and fear cover a lot of faces. In me, I can feel the distance fear, dull and so very far away, but other than that, I'm unaffected. Living with Orochimaru had its perk, I guess. But I know what the real reason is for my unusual calm; I have my brother. I glance at Kakashi again and sigh, deciding to be nice for once. "You okay?" I ask.

He slowly blinks and turns towards me. He stares for a while before giving me his one eyed smile. "Of course," he starts, "I just realise that I forgot to turn the oven off at home. It's a pretty horrifying thought, you know?" This is probably the day that I decide not to ever care about Kakasih anymore. But I'm glad that the anguish look has disappeared from his eye, it was nerve wrecking to see the legendary Copy-Nin Kakashi like that. Not to mention awkward.

I wonder if he's somehow traumatized from the last war… he must've been just a kid when it happened.

The Hokage clears her throat, once again gaining all attention. "This village has been treasured and protected by the past Hokages and shinobis, who have put their lives on the line to protect this village. We have survived the last war and made it out with even stronger will, this war will not hinder that! Konoha is my home and I will lead you through thick and thin, all I ask is that you have faith in me and your fellow shinobis. We have young generations of shinobis who are willing to fight to protect their beloveds. But we have something the enemies don't… and that is The Will of Fire. As long as you fight to protect and not destroy, the past Hokages shall watch over us," she says. I suppose that this is one of those corny prep talks, but the burning fire in me flares to life non-the-less. I smirk. I suppose that if Naruto is here, things would be more interesting. "You are all dismissed," she says in a quiet voice, a contrast to her speech.

Jounins and chuunins disappear in clouds of smoke or swirls of leaves. Kakashi and I are finally the only ones left in the large, empty hall, and just before we make it out, we are stopped. Naruto and Sakura walk through the large doors, followed by the other rooky nine and Team Gai. We all have confused looks upon our faces, I know so. They all look at the Hokage for an explanation. Her ANBUs close the doors and seal them. "Baa-chan, what's going on?" Naruto asks softly, and it's a miracle that he can read the mood in the hall well enough to know not to shout. The atmosphere isn't exactly dandy, so I don't blame him.

The Sannin sighs tiredly and takes her robe off; shrugging them into Shizune's waiting arms. "You're all here for the same reason. There _are_ some information that is better off if the others don't know, but you are my most trusted shinobi and I will trust you with this piece of information," then her eyes land on me. "Uchiha, I still don't know if I can really trust you, but Konoha needs an Uchiha, so I'll trust you with this, since it does concern you." We all wait while the silent pause stretches on longer and longer.

"Hurry up already, old hag!" we hear. I totally take back what I just thought a moment ago about him reading the mood.

"Shut up, you ungrateful brat!" I can only raise an eyebrow while her ANBU shake their heads. At least they look like they're used to it… to her. "Now listen up, I'm only saying this once. A few weeks before Uchiha caught the other Uchiha, the older Uchiha and his partner in Akatsuki went after the Yonbi, the four tailed monkey, sealed into a man in Iwagakure known as Roshi. The Akatsuki succeeded in capturing the Jinchuriki and extracting the demon, the host died as a result, but the host was an elderly man from Iwagakure." There's a grim stretch of silence, then she says, "He was close frieds with the current Tsuchikage." She doesn't say anymore, but we all know what's in her head anyway. It's probable that the Tsuchikage would want revenge.

"But didn't he know that Itachi-san was with the Akatsuki, and no longer in Konoha?" Sakura asks.

The Fifth's eyes glaze over for a bit. "Like I said, that was a few months ago. When news of Itachi returning to Konoha reached him, he assumed that Itachi was under an SS-ranked mission to join Akatsuki and assassinate Roshi." And I can't help but notice that she keeps glancing at me nervously during her explanation. If this is just a fact, then why does she need to be nervous? Is there something I should be concerned with? Of course there is, there _always_ is. But the Fifth Hokage practically hyperventilated at the words 'SS-ranked mission' and 'Akatsuki.'

"So, the Tsuchikage is declaring war over his dead friend?" Naruto ask dumbly. The way he says it makes it sound pretty rediculour, and I can't blame him. This is the shinobi world, people die all the time, and for a Kage to declare war over it… there must be something else going on.

The Fifth nod.

"That and the fact that they didn't like losing to Konoha in the last Great Ninja War," Kakashi states.

"But that's just stupid. Can't we just talk to him or something?" Ino says. She receives a shake of the head as an answer.

"So… it's practically Itachi's fault, right?" Kiba asks.

Before I can properly process his words, I snarl and lean forward into a crouch, ready to defend my Nii-san. It's an instinctive move and I'm left feeling dizzy. "Leave him out of this!" I hiss. Next to me I hear Naruto shift. Everything and everyone else in the room is dead silent, and I wonder what my snarl sounds like. It probably sounds feral, if Sakura's expression is anything to go by.

"Easy man," Kiba stutters, holding his arms up as if surrendering. I only narrow my eyes at him before easing up. Now I remember why I call him idiot number two.

"Hokage-sama, what exactly is our mission?" Neji asks, no doubt getting sick of waiting.

"It isn't exactly a mission, more of a special job. While some of you will also be sent out on missions to cover up our knowledge of the coming war, you will also be looking out for any signs of direct attacks," she pauses, receiving many raised eyebrows. Nervously she glances at me again. "We have reasons to believe that while the war is for all of the Fire Country to suffer, the Tsuchikage may be targeting Itachi specifically," she stops and winces. She has every right to, because the next thing I know, I'm being held down by Kakashi and Gai. Ah, so this is what some people call 'blind rage.' It really is blind, like time stops just for me to lose my head.

"Calm down, Uchiha," the Godaime hisses. "This is why I'm asking you all to keep a look out for signs of targeted attacks." She pauses for a while, letting the new news sink in. Then she lowers her eyes, as if something worries her. "Then there's the need to worry about Akatsuki," she mutters to herself. I and a few others hear her anyway. The name of the cursed group sends electric bolts up my spine, and then down again. I've never really given much thought on that organisation. It was always 'if they don't get in the way of my revenge, then they don't matter,' but now it's different. They pose a constant threat of taking my beloved brother and my best friend away from me. And that isn't fine with me. But they come after the coming war; we have more important things to worry about.

I watch as Naruto lowers his gaze onto the floor. I know what he's feeling right away. He's ashamed that he's the one who brought Akatsuki upon Konoha. He'd brighten up eventually; he just needs a heart to heart prep talk. But a heart to heart talk between him and me means looks and no words at all. So I nudge him with my elbow and just give him a blank stare. He stares right back for a while before turning towards the front again. He understands what I mean to say while others would have had no idea. This is our bond, the bond that I came too close to breaking, a long time ago.

"They can try and hurt 'Tachi, but they have to go through me first!" he yells, and it's so completely dramatic, over the top… and it totally works.

"Yosh! You are right, Naruto-kun. We shall protect Itachi-kun at all cost! He is now a friend!" Gai's miniature twin yells. They give each other high fives and thumbs up, with a smile that blinds everyone else. It's encouraging, but at the same time very disturbing.

"You're all dismissed," the Hokage says at last. She rolls her eyes at their antics, but I can see the small smile tucking at the corner of her lips.

Yes, war indeed.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I narrow my eyes against the cold, harsh wind as I jump from rooftop to rooftop. I had sprinted as soon as I got out of the hall, one man on my mind. People busy the streets despite the cold weather and children run around, happy that the academy was cancelled for the day. The late afternoon sun warms the chilly air a little, but not by much. Dark clouds hang over us, giving that gloomy atmosphere that would only come at a time of helplessness and despair. We're not there yet, not _yet_. . From other rooftops I see shinobis heading out; some towards their mission while some just patrolling. I see some familiar faces going here and there. I know I should be doing my job, but Itachi comes first, even when I hated him he came first. I'll tell him what's going on.

I ignore everything else and head towards my house. Three strong chakra signatures greet me and one smaller one catches my attention. I _still_ haven't unsealed Itachi's chakra it seems, and I feel like I'll never get around to it. Okay, the first thing I do will be unsealing his chakra. Yes, I have to keep my mind from wandering off again. That happens a lot when I'm with my brother. "Ah, Sasuke-kun, you're back," I hear Karin yell from the back of the house. Ignoring her too; I have to ignore everything else so I won't forget to unseal Itachi's chakra. Right, one track mind, that's what I need.

He is in the kitchen, the smallest chakra source. My strides are quick and long, taking me there within seconds. I find him with a large bowl in his hands, and the rest of him a sight that I can stare at for hours. My mouth goes slack and my nose strangely feels runny. He stands at an angle and his eyes are brighter than I've ever seen. His face, however, remains blank. I can practically feel my mind going all mushy and stuff, it's very uncomfortable. Of all the styles that Karin put Itachi's hair into, this one is definitely the one that _makes_ me, the one that gets be hot and bothered, yet calm and unbelieving. It isn't anything complex or flashy, heck it isn't even anything special. I see women wearing this style everyday. But on him, it's absolutely beautiful. Of course that's not to say that my brother looks like a woman… much. His long hair is up and in a bun, high up the top of his head. A few short strands come loose and dangle down his neck and the back of his head. His bangs dangle, framing his little face in a way that is too much like mother. It hurts just as much as he is beautiful.

I shake my head and look somewhere else in a fruitless attempt to regain some sense. I have to unseal his chakra first, that's _the_ top priority. I can't afford to get side tracked again. I close the distance between us in mere milliseconds, then take the bowl from his hands and put it on the bench. He stares bemusedly. I gently take his hands in my slightly bigger ones. He raises his eyebrows a little, interested in what I have to do. It's so strange on his usually stoic face that it feels artificial. It's looks like this that I'm reminded that he's the older one and I'm not.

"I'm unsealing your chakra," I say gently; though I don't think the gentleness now will make up for the torture I put him through right after our fight. "I can't unseal all of it, which would be against the rule." The Hokage absolutely refuses to let Itachi all of his chakra; that would just be disastrous. He nods once, accepting the rule like he used to accept the missions in his ANBU days, without a mind, without a doubt. I put my right palm flat on his forehead, and the raging chakra beneath immediately responds to my touch. This move disturbingly reminds me of the night I nearly murdered my brother. And it should, I deserve all the punishments.

Bolts of despair run through me at the touch. His forehead is hot; it's surprising because his expression is always so cold, though that probably has nothing to do with anything. He probably doesn't even know his temperature is unusually high. I let my chakra search for that tiny seal that I placed on him and draw it out. I placed in on his forehead, but by now it's somewhere at the back of his neck, and I have a little trouble bringing it forth. I weaken the seal and let his chakra flow through, enough to let him be at the rank of a chuunin, maybe jounin. But with his skills, he can probably just rely on Taijutsu alone and beat me into a pulp. A cheeky grin makes its way onto my face. Yeah, he's hot like that.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

When the sun nearly set, I take my brother up to the Hokage monuments. I make sure he wears thicker yukata despite his unsealed chakra. He just doesn't have the memory to use it to warm himself up and maintain the warmth. I drag him by the hand and explain about the meeting to him. I see no reason to lie to him, he would see right through me anyways. It would be better that he knows of the threats heading his way than nothing at all. He doesn't show any reaction towards the news, but I suppose that he must've seen it coming. He remains silent and only gives a few "Hn" or "Ah" when I pause. To me it feels like I'm telling my Aniki about my day at the academy and he would correct any vocabulary mistake I made. It's very pleasant. Ironic how I'm finally happy, and then war breaks out.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

We stand on the Nidaime's statue, looking at the streak of the setting sun. The sun is barely bright behind all the clouds, barely makes a difference in this cold. We can only see a small streak near the line of horizon that indicates the setting sun. I knew what's over that line of horizon: the enemies. I start when I feel thinner hands over my own. I turn to my brother, almost as if seeing him for the first time. But as I turn, my forehead strikes something painful, it's sharp and blunt. I blink for a few times before realising that my brother's fingers are pointing at my forehead. "Ow," I manage. It isn't loud or anything, just weak and awestruck. '_Wow, talk about brother complex. You have a problem, you know that?_' I hear Ino's voice said. Maybe, just maybe, I'll listen to my head more if my conscience doesn't sound like a girl!

That's so wrong on so many levels.

He pulls the infamous Uchiha smirk –arrogant and kind of ass-like - and tilts his head to the side. My eyes are still locked on his two fingers at my forehead. I'm so sure, with my eyes crossed, that I look like the idiot that I feel ike I am. This happened when we were little, a lot. My heart beats with anticipation, would my brother remember this? Does he remember doing this to me? "Foolish little brother," he starts. The beating in my chest grows faster, this moment all too dream-like. It's at this moment that I realise I really, _really_ don't want him to remember. Because then, he would be my enemy again. "What are you doing here? You need to get stronger," he says. I can just see what's coming next. He would say 'How do you wish to kill me if you are not strong enough?' But it never comes, instead I hear, "How do you wish to protect us if you are not strong enough?" I can just fall down on my knees and _thank god_.

I gave him a small smile, which is all that I can afford, we are Uchihas after all. But I can't control my arms so well, because they pull Aniki into my chest and wrap themselves around him. Our height isn't that much in difference, so I turn my head to the side and breathe in his wonderful scent. He hesitantly wraps his arms around me. I know he is probably confused, he's never seen brothers hug like this after all. But I smirk, we're never normal brothers to begin with, he said so himself years ago.

It's twilight… or maybe it's dawn, either way, it's bitter and warm and so, so delicate.


	9. Chapter 8

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairings: Sasuke/Itachi.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**Jiraiya**

The news that reached Naruto that morning wasn't anything he ever wanted to hear. The news of the coming war was still wearing off, but this news shocked him to the core. I saw it happen. His ramen forgotten on the table as he stayed kneeled on the floor, staring at the door as if waiting for Kakashi to say that he was just kidding, a joke to lighten up this horrible situation the village found itself in. The Hokage had been the one to send Kakashi to tell Naruto, she couldn't make it; she had her own armies to lead through a war. But if I had to guess, I'd reckon she's locked herself in her office and cried herself dry.

This morning Kakashi knocked at our front door with a troubled eye. He told us of the news with a heavy heart, speaking specifically to Naruto. Jiraiya had died at the hands of a man named Pein, leader of the Akatsuki. Now Naruto kneels on the floor, frozen, too shocked to move. It feels like the whole world froze with him.

Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo had left the room at my command, but I'm sure they heard the new anyways. They understand enough that Naruto needs room; they've dealt with death themselves. Itachi continues sipping his soup quietly, his eyes closed and his face blank. I feel slight anger swell up in my chest. He's obviously not oblivious to the situation Naruto finds himself in, so why the hell doesn't he care?

But I suppose he knows what to do more than me, because I know I'm showing my pity on my face. I don't think Naruto likes pity much. I want to comfort Naruto, but I know what he needs more than anything right now is time. I've never met the Sannin personally, but I know that he's a good man. He has a reputation as the most perverted man on Earth, so that kinda limits my opinion on him. But to find out that he died, so unexpectedly, it's very unpleasant. I know that Naruto held the man in high regards despite his obvious disrespect.

Looking at Naruto now, it isn't something that I want to ever see. This is probably his first lost, unlike me. I've lost my whole family in one night, I know what if feels like, but Naruto doesn't. And now he's getting a front row seat to despair.

I swallow whatever's in my throat and get up, going to the sink and washing the plates. I look up when I hear a pained sob and see Naruto slowly getting up. Standing back, I watch. Kakashi looks like he's about to say something, but I know that he won't. The Dobe sways a bit, looking horribly weak and lost, and walks out the door, like a person sleep walking. I make a move to follow when I hear _his_ voice for the first time. "Stop Otouto. Let him be," my Aniki says. I look at him and comply after a while; I find it hard to not follow his order.

We aren't exactly sure how long he's gone, but when he comes back, he's in much better shape. The Hokage must've found time to talk to him. Naruto sees our worried looks and gives us a weak smile. He then trots over to his room. It's the room next to Itachi's; he claimed it himself… without permission. He'd decided that since they're friends, he might as well move in. And the worst part is that Aniki didn't even protest, didn't back me up when I weakly argued that he should in fact _not_ move in. Naruto's door shuts with a quiet thud, and we know we're not to immediately follow.

I know that the Dobe wouldn't grieve for forever; he would bounce back sooner or later. I think that he's more confused than anything. I remember asking no one why my parents had to die, just _why_? Back then I was so close to putting all my faith in destiny, just like Neji had been, to be able to blame everything on _destiny_. But back then, one blond boy yelled in my ears, day after day, distracting me from such nonsense. I suppose that it was my turn to yell in his ears, figuratively speaking obviously.

But I'm scared, because I don't know what to say or to do. I've never comforted anyone in my life. There hadn't been a need.

I look out the window and frown. The weather hasn't gotten much better. No shinobi wants to fight in a weather condition like this. It's too cold, too lifeless. But I suppose that the weather suits what's coming up. The thought of war doesn't affect me as much as other shinobis who have experienced it. But they have experience, they know what to expect, while I don't, nobody in my generation knows war as we should.

"Otouto, I think its time you talked to Naruto-kun, wouldn't you say?" Nii-san says. I turn to stare at him, and find my lips trembling with the effort to not laugh. Itachi is still a cold person, always expressionless and scary when he wants to be. But he's very fond of Karin, always letting her play with his hair. Right now she's putting it into two plaited pigtails. We stare at each other for a little while, it's a contest. That is, until I feel the pressure building up. My eye twitches before I stand up and head to Naruto's room. It's not fair, I think, that Itachi has more eye power than me. He just literally stared me down.

I stand at his door, not sure what to do. But Naruto is my friend and I won't let him suffer like this alone. I open the sliding door slowly and step in. He's sitting on his bed, facing the window and still as a statue. It isn't a very pleasant sight. He should be bouncing around, shouting about stuff that people don't care about. But instead, he sits still and unmoving. It's a sight that's both out of place and wrong. I take a seat in the chair on the studying table. It's littered with scrolls on seals and sealing techniques. Oh that's right; he's training to be a seal master… wants to follow in his master's footstep. He has a talent for it too, just like Jiraiya did.

The silence that we sit in is not comfortable at all. He doesn't need me to say or do anything; we know each other well enough. "He was a pervert," I hear him whisper. "He was always looking out for women and ignoring my training. And yet, I grow stronger the more he ignored me. But I guess he was just teaching me to be independent. He probably didn't know that I grew up like that. He would show me a jutsu and let me figure out all the hard part myself, and I liked that. It was frustrating as hell, but it was great. He… he was a great teacher.

"I nearly killed him once, when I lost control of the Kyuubi. He just laughed it off as if it was all a big, stupid prank. I felt guilty as hell, didn't want to think what would happened if I really lost him. I just thought that he would always be there, to make fun of me and try and turn me into the next super pervert. The thought that I would lose him one day never occurred to me, that's why all this… hurts so much. He… he understood me more than anybody else; saw something that even I couldn't see in myself. He was… like a father to me." I don't know what to say. I would say that I understood, but I don't. I didn't know Jiraiya like Naruto did and I'm pretty sure that the man didn't like me at all.

"But then," he starts to say. His voice turns hard and murderous. "He had to go and die at the hands of that Akatsuki leader. I'm going to kill him, I'm going to hunt him down and kill that bastard." It's obvious at this point that he isn't talking about Jiraiya anymore. My eyes widen as I sit there, frozen at the thought of Naruto as an avenger. '_Remind you of someone?_' No, I can't let that happen, not to Naruto, not to anybody else. I've been there myself and it's not all sweets and sunshine. I stand rapidly and cross the distance between us in seconds. I grip his shoulder tightly and spin him around to face me.

"Listen to you," I hiss, because… okay, I'm pissed too. It's just not right. He stares at me, mystified; I probably have my Sharingan turned on. "Are you going to throw everything he taught you away… just like that? If you go after that man now, he'll kill you, no problem."

He frowns, the creases in between his eyes deeper than ever and snaps, "Then what do you want me to do? I can't just sit here and do nothing. He was my sensei!" Somewhere in between his words, hot, fat tears started rolling down his cheeks, and I can only stare. There's a pain in my chest, but the pain's not really my own. I retract my hand, guilty as hell. I didn't mean for him to shed tears at my words, I really didn't. I'm only trying to help; because revenge is seriously not the way to go. But to see him like this, it hurts me as well.

"Nobody said anything about doing nothing," I say slowly. "Just get stronger and help out with the war. Get stronger from it and then when you're stronger, _we'll_ help you defeat him. After all, what kind of Hokage would you be if you abandon your people at a time like this, huh?" I know that got to him right away. His spine straightens and his head shoots right up. I know it's a low blow to use his dream as a weapon like this, but it isn't that low when it's the only thing left. He sniffs loudly a few more times while I pretend to not flinch.

He turns to me when he gets to the door and offers a smile, small but sincere. "You know what, Sasuke? You're a dirty fighter, but thanks," he says before trotting out and going to the main room, where everybody is waiting.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Naruto's pain gets better and better with time; it's a slow process, but it's progress nonetheless. Of course the constant income of missions help, as well as a ridiculous amount of free ramen I supply. And while Naruto learns to cope with pain, nothing else seems to get better. Every second of everyday the village is being spied on. We've searched every corner of the village, and still we're stuck on square number one. Things go from bad to worse when a team of chuunin found the traders murdered just outside our borders. The trade is off, there'll be nothing foreign coming in; we'll have to supply our own food, our own weaponry. This winter is going to be the harshest yet. This is the first sign of a real war; cutting off the enemies' food and trading. And then the fighting began a few days ago. Iwagakure delivered the first strike, on our border, on a patrolling team. It was a surprise. That had been our first mistake; the surprise.

Sunagakure is unable to help us, could do nothing more than send in small squats. Bandits are keeping them busy. The bandits had banded together, large in number, and are stupid enough to mess around with the redheaded Kazekage. Well, they're stupid enough, or they're paid well enough to risk it. Suna is kept busy. Their people come first, after all. Teams who usually fight together are being separated due to their skills and ranks. Naruto and I are probably the strongest gennins in the world right now, what with us having been trained by legendary Sannins and not yet advancing in rank. It's as humiliating as it is satisfying.

And Itachi, oh where the hell do I begin with him? He's not oblivious; he knows there's a war. There are a few people on the street that try to comment, try to say that they could use someone with Itachi's skills. I'm almost ashamed to say that I think the same way. My brother has powers that I can't yet begin to imagine, but he doesn't know that anymore. If it isn't for trying to use up all my chakras in his system, Itachi wouldn't even lift a finger to fight. He really doesn't like violence, and I'm only beginning to grasp that.

So I give those people on the streets glares, and try and shield Itachi. It's gotten to the point that I sometimes lock him in our own home. It's pathetic, me treating my older brother like he's made of glass, but I haven't yet come up with another way. My treatment of him is beginning to wane on his nerves too, I can tell, though he does a good job at hiding it.

Even though we can't see his irritation, doesn't mean it's not there, and soon everybody in the house can feel it in the air. There are not a lot of times when Itachi's angry, and when he is, everybody would know.

The weather's gotten so bad, temperature dangerously low, that every shinobi is provided thick, heavy coats. Nobody wears thick cotton yukata anymore, it just isn't enough. The coats are supplied just like the jounin and chuunin vests. They are green in colour, but we're able to put a genjutsu to make it black for camouflage. The sleeves are long, great for hiding weapons and the coat itself reaches just below our knees. It isn't the most fashionable thing to wear, but it's sensible and does its job; keeping us warm and allowing great range of movements for fighting. They have many pockets too, inside and outside with the red swirl at the back and on the sleeves. The Hokage requested this design a year ago. We all got one, offcourse Naruto added orange to his and Sakura added pink. Me? I'm fine with black.

"Sasuke-teme!" I hear. I raise an eyebrow when I spot Naruto and Sakura running towards my house. Sakura drags Kakashi along by the collar of his coat, leaving the larger man blue in the face. They look awfully happy. What's so great in a time like this? "Sasuke-teme, look what I got for ya!"

I wait for them to reach me. I'm on my way to the pond, where I know my brother is and I don't like the thought of leaving him there. My friends reach me, puffing and gasping, -though I doubt it's from running, most likely from the excitement-, especially Kakshi, who's slowly regaining colours back to his face. I start when Naruto shoves something dangerously close to my face. My reflex nearly has me swatting at his head, that idiot. I get a better look at what's in his hand, and the sudden flooding of emotions almost has me reeling.

It's my old hitai-ate, it has a brighter coloured line running through it horizontally, but the deep scratch is gone, it's all smooth. I feel the corner of my lips tilting up. So this is why they were so happy, they know what this means as well as I do. It means that I'm well and truly back, as an official gennin of Konoha, working with my team.

I let the happy smirk on my face show. "Hn, thanks dobe, I knew you weren't completely uselss," I say. It takes him longer than usual to respond; the idiot's getting slower and slower everyday.

"What did you say? You wanna piece of me, Teme?" he yells, waking the world up with his loud voice. I can only roll my eyes; it took him four seconds to come up with that? Really, he's getting rusty. I watch his eyes brighten as he takes Sakura's hand, dragging her into the house.

"Come one, Sakura-chan. I'll show you my new room!" He yells.

"What? How come _you_ get to move in?" Sakura replies before turning and yelling for Kakashi. "Hurry up Kakahsi-sensei. You're not leaving me with this idiot again, you hear?" It should disturb me that sometimes I don't feel like I belong in this close-knit group, but it doesn't, because I know I'm not… not yet anyway. I was stupid to turn away from all this, and now I have to pay for it. Still, this thought doesn't lessen the stab of jealousy when I see them like this.

I watch as Kakashi get up from the cold floor, where he had been a minute ago, unconscious, and dusts himself off. He gulps and loosens the collar of his dark green coat, trying to grab on to what little pride he has left. I can't let this opportunity slide, I really can't. "What's wrong? Your age catching up with you already?" I taunt.

He slowly turns his head, a movement too stiff. "Sorry, did you say something?" he drawls. I watch him trot away, limping from an injury that Sakura most likely inflicted. She's a very violent girl; and shame on me for only noticing now. I shake my head and continue on my way to the pond, where I know my beloved is. I spot an ANBU in the tree not too far away, watching nervously as my brother twiddles with small chunks of dirt. The temperature's miserably cold, but at least the mist has finally cleared. The sun remains hidden behind layers and layers of clouds. It's never seemed so far away…

"Aniki," I call out. He doesn't turn, but a small nod tells me that he's aware of my presence. I glide to where he sits with his legs dangling over the small pontoon and frown in disapproval; he knows how much I hate him doing that. You never know what's in the water; it's too dark and murky to see down there. He's not a child, can take good care of himself, and I know I shouldn't treat him like this, but there's a sense of vulnerability that he only shows to me, and damn it if I'm gonna take it all.

There's a nagging voice in my head, and it's saying 'he's probably stronger than the current Hokage.' I roll my eyes, as if I can forget that so easily. Sitting down next to Itachi on the cold wooden pontoon, I try to get a sniff of his scent something I find myself doing that whenever I'm not on a mission. I've only gotten caught once, but I got out of that one easily because Karin insisted he turned the other way for his daily braid. That had been very close. If I'm going to keep being a creepy sniffer around my brother, I should at least try not to get caught.

I get one small sniff and lean back. I'm content with just that, I can't risk getting another sniff… or can I? I shake my head, amazed at my childish thoughts. Aniki directs at me a questioning look. "What are you doing?" I ask. I've noticed that when I come back from missions, he's either here or in the kitchen with Karin… playing with his hair. I swear that girl is addicted to his hair, though I really can't blame her at all. I mean, I'm addicted to his scent aren't I? '_You mean you're addicted to _him_, period_.'

He looks back down to the rocks in his hands. He seems to be analysing them, learning. "I… have been experimenting with my chakra," he said quietly. I wait for him to say more, which he does. "I've seen people manipulating the elements, and I wanted to try,' he says this so quietly that it might as well be a whisper. I see a hue of pink on his cheeks and decided that this is a good day. Well, I hope that it's a blush, and not just from the cold. "By combining my chakra with an earthly element, I wanted to be able to control it, without having to use the hand signs."

"And is it working?" I ask. I'm truly curious about this. To be able to do that would take large amount of concentration and to control a large scale of element, it would take a massive amount of chakra. Both of these he has. He shrugs with two thin shoulders and I turn to the rocks. I see a small trail of chakra wrapping itself around the rock, before the whole thing floats above his hands and cracked. "Well, that's working so far, right?" There's excitement in my voice, and I hope it doesn't make me sound too eager. I want him to have something to do when I'm not home. I don't want him to feel like I'm imprisoning him here.

He looks at me with bright eyes, though his expression remains the same. "I wanted to be able to carve the shape to my liking," he says. I've never seen a grown man so interested in the world. Me, I've always thought that the elements would just be there, and I'll use them whenever I feel like it. The jutsus have already been created, and I can use them whenever. Guess I take things for granted. And to see something like this… it warms my heart. And now I officially sound like an old man. Now that's a comforting thought.

"You mean, bending an element?" I ask.

He stares some more at the rocks and then turns to stare at me. I fidget under his intense gaze. "I'm bored," he says. All interest in the rocks in his hands is gone. "I've decided to give up this theory all together". I snap my head around and my jaw goes slack. What the hell? Then what was the point from the beginning? '_He's bored, you goof. He's trying to tell you that he wants to fight in the war_,' Ino's voice says. Is my conscience always gonna sound like a girl? Because that's doing wonders for my self-esteem. My shock disappears as a completely new range of emotions washes over me. The veins in my forehead throb as my breath hitch in my throat.

"No," I state, absolute. My voice remains calm and collected; there's no need to startle him. "No, Itachi," I moan. I can lose him so easily out in the battlefield. He is very strong, there's no doubt about it, but he doesn't know how to use his skills properly yet. He doesn't know how to follow his instinct. I remember him resisting his instinct to cut my throat open a few months ago, that had been close. Plus, he hates violence, what would he do out there? "Why would you want to fight, Aniki? You hate that."

"As I've said; I'm bored," he replies. He looks at me as if I'm the stupidest person in the world, well I certainly feel that way now.

"Th-That's not what I mean, Aniki. I just can't let you go out there. Konoha is doing well, you don't need to do anything," I said. "You don't like fighting, remember?"

'_Konoha's doing well_,' I scoff silently. Bloody hell, we're fighting dead people! People who are supposed to be dead are now all over the place. I don't understand what's going on, and I'm scared shitless. The Akatsuki's playing a bigger part in this than I thought… and there's no way I'm letting Itachi out there.

Thoughts of the Akatsuki have me questioning why this war started out in the first place. Sure, there's the public story that the Tsuchikage wanted revenge, for Itachi killing his uncle or something like that, but Akatsuki's involved, and I'm not sure that this is about revenge anymore. Surely they would want Naruto… is that what they're hoping for? Were they hoping that we'd all be distracted with the war enough for them to snatch Naruto from us?

My brother gives me another stupefied look. "I didn't necessary say I would fight, now did I?" he asks. He raises an eyebrow and gives me a small smirk. I feel my ears heat up as I fight down a blush. But my ego wouldn't go down without a fight. I steel my face and sit up straight. I _loom_ over my brother and raise an eyebrow in return.

"Oh? And what exactly do you plan on doing, hm?" I ask him. He opens his mouth slightly to say something, only to close it after a moment of silence. He does it a few more time, and I fight to smirk. Yep, rendering him speechless is my new favourite hobby. Without the sun, his skin loses its peachy colour. Now he glows with a light ivory colour that makes me wonder if he's made out of porcelain. I don't think anything has the right to be this beautiful… and of course I don't want him out there in the battle field. He looks frail, delicate, and I feel stupid thinking that when I know for a fact that he kicks ass.

Oh my god. Is it normal for me to think this way about my own brother? I can think that he's beautiful, and it would be normal, right?

I watch, amused, as his lips twitch. He glares at me through narrowed eyes before standing up. "You win this round, Otouto, but I'll find a way. You can't protect me forever." He snarls out the word 'protect' as if it's the dirtiest thing he's ever had to say. Is it? Am I suffocating him, when I'm only trying to keep him safe?

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I tie the hitai-ate tightly on my forehead. I'm determined to find out where the enemy spies are spying on us from. If this goes on any longer, the enemies will have a fully detailed blueprint of our village and that would mean trouble. A detailed map means that they know where we are, where the Uchiha compound is, and where Itachi is. It's not something I'd risk. Today I have the whole day off… and I'm going to make use of it. A part of me thinks it's ridiculous how hard it is to find where we're being spied on from. Well it must be very hard… because nobody found anything yet, apparently.

I stand awkwardly at the gate of the Uchiha district. So this is where I follow my instinct, which leads me to the training ground where team seven was formed. The village is as it was a few days before; the civilians are still oblivious to the ongoing war outside the village. But that's not to last long, the trading systems are being distorted, and not enough food will soon come into the village. Sooner or later, the people are bound to notice.

The children continue with their daily routines; the only difference is the amount of shinobi patrolling the areas. I know that the ninjas who are sent on normal missions to keep the economy going are being put at higher risk, that's why I fret when my team is sent without me. Itachi must've known this fact, because Karin told me he worries for me when I'm away. Then it occurred to me that I have no idea how much my brother knows… or how much he remembers.

The three large logs stuck into the ground catch my attention. Voices of distant memories chat at the back of my head. To me, it seems like a few thousand years ago that that happened. In me, there's a small sliver of fear. I'm scared that I might forget this; I'm scared that the war could ruin places where my precious memories were created from. '_Looks like war is starting to settle in you_' and I can't possibly agree more. War is a horrible thing; I'm starting to see that now. Still, it can't possibly be more painful for the people who have gone through this once before… people like Kakashi and the Hokage.

My legs carry me to the Memorial Stone. The dark stone looks dull and old without the usual sunlight to make it shine. The numerous names appear faded and worn out. But despite the lack of sunlight, one name catches my wandering eyes. The name is at an angle to me, it's carved into a spare space at the corner of the strange shaped stone. I can only see one name, '_**Jiraiya**_.' This reminds me of the fact that out of all the Uchihas who could fight, only a few names are on the stone. I suppose I should feel angered, but instead all I feel is a dull pain, an ache in the chest. I would like to get my name carved on that stone, I admit, but not anytime soon if I can help it. Hopefully not anytime in this decade.

I stand there for what must be two hours, mourning for the great Sannin that I had the chance to know. My friends are probably worried, especially my beloved brother, but my legs are locked into place and refuse to move. My head bows down in respect as my breath condense in the cold air. All thoughts of my mission to find loopholes vanish. I suppose that Itachi can at least do this task without being at risk. Anything to satisfy his boredom and my unreasonable protectiveness.

As I stare at the memorial stone, I can't help but think that this Pein must be strong; to be able to defeat one of the legendary Sannin, he _must_ be. I know of the strength hidden behind perverted comments and drooling eyes, Jiraiya wasn't a man to mess with. He was a great man. And so, for him to fall to a stranger, this Pein had to possess immense strength.

There's a slight stab of hunger at the thought of power, but I kick it away. I'm over that; if I'm gonna get stronger, then I'm gonna work damn hard for it.

What I can't understand is why the sannin would go looking for a fight, knowing the chances of him coming back alive. I don't know much about Akatsuki and its members, but I think it's about time that I do. That cursed organisation is a threat to my brother, my best friend and my village; a threat to my life. The war has the whole of Konoha's shinobis to deal with, but Akatsuki is forgotten in the chaos. This war, no doubt started by whoever is in charge of Akatsuki, is just a diversion. Naruto is their real target; Naruto and what other tailed beasts are out there. Someone has to keep a tag on them. I'll do that.

A particularly strong breeze blows past me just as I turn to walk away. I step forward with my right leg, only to stumble as my foot goes straight down an ant hill. I quickly jerk it back up, hopping up and down as I slap at ants. But no ant crawls up my leg, not even one. A relief sigh escapes me. I guess luck is on my side for once.

I hate anthills…

* * *

Please review!


	10. Chapter 9

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Anthills

It was in the wrong side of the sky and going the wrong way. The damn thing was far too big and travelling faster than allowed. And the sun doesn't have a tail. It was far too hot too. Now, why the sun would be heading my way? The thing was getting bigger and bigger any second, and getting hotter too. Oh, wait a minute; that's not the sun, that's a fire ball. '_Yeah, and it's heading your way_' Ino's voice sneered. I'm starting to think that it's not my conscience. I let out a lazy grunt and got out of my sleeping bag, dodging the fire ball. All around the camp I heard shoutings and yelling of warning for those who haven't woke up. My nose flared; I was definitely not a morning person.

A sudden wave of heat from behind me had me frozen. That better not be my sleeping bag that's burning! I turned stiffly and slowly and to my horror, my sleeping bag was burning. The veins in my forehead throbbed as my pulse quickened. I turned my Sharingan towards the idiot from Iwagakure that was stupid enough to do that. He had a smirk on his face, feeling smug that he was able to burn the Great Uchiha's sleeping bag. I hissed and the next second he was up against a tree, with a katana at his heart. Turning back to my burning sleeping bag, I resist the urge to get down on my knees and cry. That was my last sleeping bag, but that wasn't the real reason I was angry. Yesterday morning my aniki had been the one to personally get that sleeping bag for me, his scent was al over it, all over it I say, but now… … it was burning. The urge to wail and to kill everybody in sight battled each other.

So that morning I left the camp to clean up after the mess I created. Neji, Shino and I were sent to deliver tactic scrolls to the camp on the Southern side of the border. This camp was the one set with the longest distance between them and the village. We decided to stay fro the night and woke up to this. I was going to have to give a proper burial to my sleeping bag. Of course I can't let anyone know; my pride depends on it. I wrinkled my nose at the strong smell of blood and scratched my temple, what a mess. But I guess that's my fault, seeing as I'm the one who spilled all the enemy blood. Amazing, really, what a sleeping bag with Itachi's scent can do to me.

We took off instantly, back to the village while the others at the camp moved; there was too much blood there to camp anymore. The travel back to the village was very silent with the other two giving me wary glances. I think it was because I kept growling every four or five minutes. But I had good reasons, really. It's because I keep seeing those damn anthills… and also because I was sill upset about the sleeping bag. '_Oh!_' Ino's voice wailed. '_It feels so good to know that I am slowly losing my sanity. I mean, who the hell sulks over their sleeping bag? And worse yet, who the hell gets jealous over anthills? Come on me, where did all your manly pride go?_' I hissed; my manly pride did not go anywhere… stupid voice.

Neji and I, being the secret lazy bastards that Naruto say we are, left the mission report to be reported by Shino. After leaving the irritated Shino at the gate, we high-tailed out of there, going in different directions. I didn't know why Neji was in a hurry for and I didn't care to ask, but I certainly knew why I was. And if anyone were to guess that I was in a hurry to see Itachi… pft… than… they are so right. I knew that my obsession was becoming worse and I knew that some others were starting to notice. But I really couldn't help it; my brother was back and I am happy… and a happy Uchiha means an obsessed Uchiha, it's a package deal, take it or leave it.

The state of the village was different; children were so much quieter as adults were wearier from working all day for food. Tradings have slowed considerable. But we were lucky that we didn't depend on trading alone; Konoha had its own farms and farmers, we were independent. But despite everything, Konoha was still a happy place. The civilians were faithful to their shinobi, they trusted us to protect them. I guess this is why the past Hokages didn't hesitate to risk their lives for this village.

My house was empty when I got back. Suigetsu was probably with Naruto, at the ramen stand, while Juugo was Kakashi, learning proper jutsu. I was surprised that they hadn't left me yet; they had no reason to be here, helping out in the war. But I suppose that I am grateful. I dropped my stuff off at my room and immediately made a bee-line for the lakeside. There was no thought as to whom I was going to find. My legs carried me instinctively as my heart quickened its pace. Somewhere, deep, deep down, I knew that I was feeling towards my brother wasn't normal, it wasn't even suppose to exist. I didn't even realise when I started to feel this way; just a few months ago, I hated him with all my guts… but now I couldn't even walk past him without trying to get a sniff of his addicting scent.

I felt a little disgusted at myself, but I was never disgusted enough to stay away from him. I tried, I really did. Once I convinced myself that I was wrong and disgusting and I was able to stay away from him… … that, however, lasted for only twenty-seven minutes. I felt like such a failure, so weak that I'd give in to my temptations. Naruto and Suigetsu had a good time, though, laughing at my suffering. After that incident, I tend to ignore my feelings. I lied to myself that what I was feeling was just brotherly love, though I knew it was so much more than that; even though I didn't know what I was feeling yet. Plus, how the hell am I suppose to know what aniki felt towards me? If he found out how I feel, which even I don't know, he'd probably be disgusted.

"What the hell took you so long?!!" I heard, before I was forced to duck. A rock the size of my head flew over me, missing me by about two centre metres. I stood up immediately after, looking for any signs of a mop of fan girls. I looked at the tree behind me, analysing if it's good for hiding. I reckon that fan girls would be good for scaring the enemies away. Why didn't anyone think of that before? They certainly scare me… though I'd never admit that out loud. "Oh! Sasuke-kun, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it as you," Karin's voice carried from around the corner. I hissed under my breath in annoyance. So she was with my brother after all. So much for some alone time…

I took a step forward, intending on getting out from the corner of my house and seeing my brother. I stopped, however, when the strong smell of blood was carried to my nose from my cloak. I quickly went back to hiding from behind the corner. Would it be okay if I went to my brother like this? No… the real question is to let my brother see me like this or not to let my brother see me like this? But my logic is; if I let Itachi see me like this, he'll definitely worry… though the pretty bastard would never show it. But If I don't want him to see me like this and worry, I'll have to go get change. Now here's the 'but'. But, if I were to go and get changed, that would delay my seeing him; something that I can't stand. '_Ah_,' Ino's voice drawled out. '_But you love it when he worries about you, even if he doesn't show it one bit. So if you go to him now, he'll worry in secret and you'll have his full attention. Doesn't that sound appealing?_' And sometimes I wondered if that voice was my conscience or my perverted nature.

With my decision selfishly made, I marched on towards my beloved. He sat with his legs hanging over the edge, nearly touching the surface of the water. At his side sat an innocent plate of dango and in his slender hands, a book. He looked to be engrossed in his book, not even twitching as Karin tried to put his hair into two round buns. She gave up before long; his hair was too smooth to stay bunched up. I had a clear view of him from here, so I nearly drooled at the sight. I disguised my chakra and attempted to look dignified. My attempts all went down the drain when my foot got caught in an anthill half way there. I held in a hiss; did I mention how much I hate anthills? I absolutely detest those things. What have they ever done for the world? '_Just hurry up and get to your damn brother!_'

I glared one last time at the cursed anthill and took the last few steps onto the wooden pontoon. Karin turned and gave me an apologetic smile, hoping that she hadn't crushed my head open with her boulder-throwing-tantrum. I twitched and pointed with my thumb for her to head inside. She pouted at me and batted her eyelashes, giving an attempt at seduction. I pointed once more with my thumb, this time twitching twice. Sulking, she got up and told Itachi she'd head inside, before stomping away, giving me a last attempt at flirting. I admit I admired her determination.

Without warning I grabbed his legs and hoisted them onto my bloodied lap. He should know by now how much I hate it when he lets his legs hang over like that. I just can't be sure what is down that lake and it's too dark to tell without the sunshine. I caught a glimpse of the title of the book he was reading. It read "The Natures of Ants". This is the part where I feel guilty as hell. Was he so bored that he'd stoop to read about my ultimate nemesis? But I had good news; I'd let him help in the search to find where the spies were spying on us from. Yes, that'll make him happy. I began rubbing random patterns on his slightly muscled legs; a habit I developed. And yet, I didn't get any reaction from him. Was he giving me the silent treatment? Ha, he was so cute, my cold-hearted, adorable big brother who was smaller than me. So cute.

"Aniki," I cooed. "I have good news," at this I smirked a little. "Since you wanted to help with the war so much, I'll let you. You can…" I was interrupted when I felt a hand on my head. With the book closed on his lap, my aniki rubbed my head, as if I were a kid again. With a smirk, he was out of my lap and walking away in seconds. I could only stare after him. He rubbed my head, how many years has it been since he did it last?

"Nii-san?" I called after him. He stopped immediately; I knew he loved it when I call him that, which I rarely did, just like how I loved it when he called me 'little brother'. He turned to me, as if waiting for me to catch up. I sighed under my breath and gathered the plate of dango and his book, before standing up and walking towards him. Why did I have to be the one to clean up his mess? Together we walked back into the main house. Along the way o noticed that he kept glancing at me. Flashes of concern crossed his eyes and I couldn't help but grin. I really have been hanging around that usuratonkachi too much.

"Aniki," I said again. "Are you mad at me?"

"Hn," he murmured. I couldn't be sure if that was a yes or a no. I've never had experience with Uchiha language.

I didn't get to say anymore as he disappeared into his room. I set the plate and his book down and went into the bathroom. A nice hot shower would do. I stripped out of my shinobi gears, scrunching my nose at the smell. Putting all my clothes in the corner, I went into the spa. Yeah, we Uchiha were that wealthy. I scrubbed the blood and dirt off me, wondering how the hell I got that dirty. I stayed in the spa, for half an hour I think, before getting out. I twitched when I realised that I didn't bring anything in; not a towel, not clothes or anything. I hissed in anger; my mind has been slipping lately. What the hell's wrong with me? Standing wet in front of the mirror, I stared at the reflection of my pale face. I looked so much like my brother… and yet, so much like my father. The pale skin, the burning charcoal eyes, the high cheekbones and the straight nose, they all belonged to my father. Unlike my brother who had a soft feature just like our mother. His effeminate lips, his small yet round face, his eyes accompanied by long lashes and his porcelain skin. I really don't know how people could get us mixed up.

"Itach-baby, where are you going?" I heard from out side. Karin must be talking to my brother. I didn't hear a reply from the other person, but I herd Karin sigh something about her baby growing up too fast. I waited until there was no one outside before slipping out, naked, into the hallway and then my room. If someone had caught me like that, I'd literally die from embarrassment. '_Ehehe, but if Itachi had been the one to see you……ehehe,_' that was disturbing, really disturbing.

Itachi went out, by himself and I don't know where he went. I just hope he hadn't gone to find the enemy spies by himself. It was noon; he could get attacked. There was nobody to keep an eye on him. I quickly put on my clothes. I couldn't afford to wear relaxing clothes; there were threats everywhere. Putting on a midnight blue, high collared shirt with a black vest over it, I put on my usual pants. I hurriedly put on my ninja gears; I dashed out the door, leaving Karin by herself.

I stopped when I got to the more civilised part of the village. Where the hell do I begin looking? Suddenly a much darker and more morbid thought occurred to me. I clenched my fist, refusing to even think about those thoughts. Itachi wouldn't do it; he wouldn't go and find help from the Akatsuki. He knew they were our enemy too, he wouldn't run away from me. I clenched my eyes shut tightly; my heart hurts just thinking about that.

"Teme? What are doing here?" I heard. Naruto and Suigetsu stood behind me, giving me idiotically confused looks. The local people gave us strange looks, especially Suigetsu, who had a giant sword on his back. The dobe furrowed his brows. "Where's 'Tachi?" he demanded.

"I don't know," I said. "He went out while I was in the shower".

"Oh! I get it, Uchiha," Suigetsu exclaimed. "You need our help to look for the princess, right?" This is the part of the conversation where I growled; how come I'm the only one who doesn't have a nick-name for Itachi?

But my panic overruled my pride. I nodded, before heading to the Hokage Tower, following the chakra trail of the ANBU that was assigned to guard my brother. I didn't even know why I agreed to let these two idiots come with me. I made sure to keep my face blank and unreadable. But as we got closer to the tower, I sensed his chakra. It was small and had a gentle flow to it, but it also felt deadly and alluring, it was too calm for a normal shinobi. Yep, that was Itachi's chakra. But I noticed something else; the Hokage's chakra is not there. She must be at the hospital, helping the wounded. Now why would he be in there if she wasn't?

After talking a bit to the guards, we went straight up the tower, towards where his chakra was coming from. As we went, we sensed more chakra from the room, familiar ones. Opening the large doors angrily, I stormed into the room, intending on having a long talk with my brother. '_I know we're happy and everything that he's back, but he's bound to remember again, and when that happens, don't you think he'll go back to the Akatsuki again?_' Ino's voice said. I knew there's a chance that would happen, but I just refuse to consider it. As long as my chakra remains in his system, it'll block his memories from coming back. Yes, I'll make sure he doesn't remember.

I found him sitting on the large table littered with scrolls and maps. On the chair sat Shikamaru and leaning on the wall was Morino Ibiki. It wasn't long before I realised that this was the room the strategists worked in. There were others in the room, all looking worn out and tired. Itachi was the only one who looked clean and fresh, wearing my spare black coat. Our entrance gained everyone's attention and I wondered how long they've been out last. Shikamaru and Ibiki, who seemed to be the leaders, glanced up and sighed. "They're finally here, Uchiha, can you tell us now?" Ibiki murmured.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked. The other strategists gathered around the table that Itachi was sitting on. Naruto, Suigetsu and I trotted over, looking interested… well, they do, but not me. I noticed Itachi giving me a knowing look, as if he knew something I didn't.

Shikamaru sighed. "He barged in here and said he knew something we were trying to find out and told us he wouldn't tell until you guys get here," then he turned to my brother. "Can you tell us now?"

My Itachi nodded and I couldn't help but smirk. Even when he can't remember anything, he's still amazing and managed to gather attention, even when he wasn't even trying. Isn't he just amazing?

"I understand that you've been trying to find out where the enemy spies are mapping our village from, correct?" he received many nods from them. Then, as if he were a robot or something, he sat straight up and his face went even blanker. "They are spying on us from anthills," he said. Silence; the reply he got was two minutes of silence. Then they began laughing, softly at first and then louder and louder. A jounin with a scar on his left cheek stepped up and slapped my brother on the back. Earning a feral growl from me.

"Come on, Uchiha. This is no time for laughing, we're in the middle of the Great Fourth Ninja War," at this, the others quietened. Ibiki and Shikamaru, who hadn't been laughing, narrowed their eyes.

"Uchiha, explain yourself," Ibiki demanded. I should probably tell him later on that Itachi doesn't like being ordered around, for his own good of course.

My brother took his time in replying, behaving as if lives didn't depend on his answer. But I couldn't help but wonder about his theory. I noticed that this village had seven times the amount of anthills as I last remembered, but this couldn't be the reason, right? But then again, anthills were everywhere and were unsuspecting. Plus, they were my arch-nemesis, I knew something was wrong. "There are no ants in any of the anthills that I have seen," he softly replied. "The chakra patterns were much larger and were travelling in strange patterns, indicating a pattern of shadowing certain targets".

"And what," a ninja from the back yelled. "You've been keeping an eye in unsuspecting anthills for the last couple of days?"

Blinking innocently, he replied, "Yes". The ninja looked taken aback, before someone whispered to him about Itachi having amnesia. He seemed to understand after that.

"Uchiha," Ibiki said firmly. "I don't mean to be disrespectful or anything, but considering your history, how are we to know if we can trust you? We are in the middle of a war, after all".

"Well, for your sake I hope you don't trust me, but it all depends on you in the end. You, as the leading strategist, can choose to not belief my information, as the consequences would be on your head… not mine. I am merely telling you this piece of very important information because I am bored. But who knows, the next time I am bored, I might choose to betray you all and join the enemy; that is why it is the wisest to not trust me". I gawked along with all the other occupations in the stuffy room. Shikamaru looked to be wide awake while Ibiki looked pale. If I had to say anything, I'd say that he certainly has ways with words. He'd be good for negotiating with the enemies, though that's a bit too late. He's definitely good at persuasion and manipulation.

"A-Alright, but what you're saying is definitely true right?" Ibiki asked. He received a nod in return. "And when have you noticed this?"

Bluntly and shortly, my brother replied, "Two months ago".

With his eyebrows twitching dangerously, Ibiki grinded out, "And why, pray tell, have you not reported this sooner?" This is where I backed away into the corner of the room.

"If I did, that would mean helping out in the war. But otouto forbade me from doing so," he said coldly, giving me a slight smirk. I gawked, that bastard set this all up. '_Hehe, isn't he just amazing? No, isn't he just… __**hot**__!?_' Oh, shut up you love-sick dog. I twitched when all the attention in the room turned to me. I stared right back at them and it went on for a few uncomfortable minutes.

Ibiki rolled his eyes at our childish behaviour, but he too seemed relief at the situation. "Alright, people, go back to your post. We'll report this to the Hokage when she gets back".

"Would it not be wiser if you were to come up with a strategy now? What do you plan to do with the anthills?" my beautiful brother muttered. He looked disappointed, probably because I didn't get beat up or something. I smirked at the pretty little bastard. And he thought he could best my luck.

This time Shikamaru spoke up. "And what do you think should be done? Since you're the expert on… … … anthills. We can't afford to alert the enemy too much of our knowledge". Shikamaru is a genius in his own right, but he didn't have experience in war, but I just think that he's too lazy to think of a plan right now.

Aniki looked down at all of us and I suddenly feel like I'm in the presence of a god. "What you plan on doing with this piece of information is up to you, but I expect to see something being done," and with that, he got off the desk and glided out the room, leaving a room full of shocked shinobi. I rolled my eyes and dragged the idiot number one and idiot number three out with me. We easily caught up with Itachi, who was taking his time walking. I had to admit, he looked really small in my black coat.

Now I understand why he gave the anthills more attention than me. This made me feel a little better.

Naruto, who just came out of his shock, said hysterically, "Anthills? That is the stupidest method of spying I've ever heard of".

"But nobody suspected anthills, right?" aniki replied in a soft tone. Ah, while I've been busy plotting the anthills' doom, I've forgotten all about this idiot. He was my rival in almost everything, so this shouldn't be an exception.

With a mischievous grin in place, the idiot places his arm over my brother's shoulder. "Well how about some ramen for celebration, hm?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you just come back from there?" he asked. I hated how he always sounded so gentle with the dobe, but rarely with me. I watched as the dobe pouted and attempted to give my brother the puppy-dog-eyes. I growled. Come on Uchiha, get your mind out of the gutter.

At around midnight… no, it was exactly at midnight that we were called awake loudly. Kiba and Akamaru were at our front door, knocking urgently. He got us all awake in an instant. When I saw him, I realised that he wasn't knocking in urgent, but in excitement. "What now?" I grinded out. My other housemates came up behind me.

"Come on people," he said, hopping around. "We've got a mission. We're meeting at training ground twelve," and with that, he hopped onto Akamaru's back and sped away. I groaned, I'd better get the day off tomorrow.

I was the first one to finish getting dressed, followed by Naruto and Juugo. Karin and Suigetsu came out together, arguing as if the world didn't exist. Itachi came last, sporting my other black cloak. "Aww, my little baby looks so cute," Karin squealed. It's a real wonder that Itachi hadn't strangled her to death yet.

The training ground was quiet, but of course we had to be. I knew all the people gathered here; we were the ones the Hokage chose to protect Itachi. The rookie nine and team Gai with the Hokage and her assistant. But I noticed something; everyone looked to be quite excited. When we got there, we were handed a pouch full of bombs.

"I'm gonna make this quick and fun for you kids, okay?" the Hokage started, sounding half awake. "You all have a pouch that contains bombs. These bombs are special; they are silent and small, but deadly. Your mission is to drop these in anthills, only one will do. You all should already know why we are doing all this," at this, she received many determined nods. "I want you to make this quick and quiet. It's best if you partner up and spread around the village. Also, in the pouch should be a small box. In that box is a pair of contact-lens, specially designed to see in the dark, so put your torches away. This mission is to be done by morning, report back here at the first ray of the sun. Dismiss". She and Shizune disappeared and I could've sworn that I heard her snore.

I turned to the others and immediately regretted it. Karin and Sakura stared at me with eyes that are strangely shaped. They almost looked like hearts. I shuddered… and it's not from the cold weather. We all put on the contacts and were paired up by a list Shikamaru brought out. The first pair to go was Ino and Neji, both looking surprised.

"Ibiki made this list, consisting pairs that don't match up, but will get the job done the fastest," the lazy man explained. But I supposed that it made sense, which means that I won't be paired up with Itachi. Well I'll be damned.

The next pair to go were Asuma and Karin, both looking just as shocked as the first pair. This list is pretty unpredictable. Sakura and Kiba went next, bickering quietly. Then went Suigetsu and Lee followed by Chouji and Hinata, who were quiet as hell, except for the munching sounds. The next pair had more action, with Ten-Ten dragging a crying Naruto away form Itachi. Then Juugo was dragged away by Gai. After that, Kakashi took my brother's arm and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving only me, Shikamaru, Shino and Kurenai. The lazy chuunin folded the piece of paper and beckoned for Shino to come with him, leaving me and Kurenai. I guess she's my partner.

We started out in the forests, dropping bombs whenever we see an anthill. The contact lenses were great; they let us see just as well as during the daytime. The bombs made small trembles on the ground and barely made a sound. We hardly talked, just working on auto-mode. We just wanted to be back in bed. Plus, I was partially sulking because I was kept away from my brother. But I admit, this was sort of fun; it's like a scavenger hunt.

"Uchiha," I heard from next to me. "Why was your brother staring at anthills in the first place?"

"He had amnesia," I replied. "I guess he was just curious about anything".

"Oh, can I ask you something?"

"Hn".

"What are you going to do when he remembers again?"

I threw down another bomb. "I'll have to kill him," I answered.

"Do you want to?" she sure was curious.

"No".

We picked up our pace. "Do you think you'll be able to do it?" she asked.

Truthfully, I answered. "No, but I'll have to try".

"And what about Akatsuki? They'll want him back".

"I don't know," I hesitated. "They probably don't want a member who doesn't remember how to fight".

"Ah, but they don't know that, do they?" and with that, she sped ahead of me.

We worked the entire night, never once taking a break. The list that Ibiki made worked wonder. There were no arguments, no fighting or anything, just work. I wondered what my brother was up to with Kakashi as his partner. I just hope that pervert doesn't grope in or something. Plus, what Kurenai said haunted my mind. The Akatsuki doesn't know that Itachi has amnesia, so they'll probably still want him back. Great, not only is he a target of the Tsuchikage, but now the Akatsuki as well. '_What do you think the Tsuchikage will do to him if he's captured? There's only so much revenge can go up to_'. But who cares, I won't let aniki get captured anyways.

After we finished at the eastern forests, we went into town and out into the farming areas. We did a little near the Hokage Monument before we saw the first ray of light; dawn. Heading back to training ground twelve, our movements became sluggish and slow due to our lack of sleep. We found the others on the ground and up in the trees, dozing off. I sat myself down near Itachi, who was resting his head on Karin's lap. He acknowledged me with half lidded eyes before going back to his battle with sleep. Karin and Sakura left me alone for once, and I couldn't be more grateful. We waited for a few more minutes for the rest to come, before reporting our areas.

"Shino and I took the northern forests and the restaurants areas," Shikamaru reported, sounding as if he was about to drop dead.

"Chouji and I t-took the river banks and the lakes," a timid voice said. After that I stopped listening to the voices and concentrated on the areas.

"We took the shopping districts, right Ten-Ten?!"

"Uchiha and I took the eastern forests and the farming areas"

"We took the Hokage Mountain and the tower"

"Suigetsu-san and I youthfully took the apartments district and the training grounds in the area"

"Kakashi-san and I took the clan districts and the private training grounds," my heart skipped a beat at the deep, melodic voice. Then what he said occurred to me. Taking the clan district and their private training grounds were probably the hardest part of the job. But then this was Itachi and Kakahsi we were talking about; of course they had to choose the difficult ones.

"Sakura and I took all the houses on the western and northern side, right Akamaru?" WOOF!

"Juugo-san and I cleansed the housing district in the eastern and southern side and made it shine in all of its youthful glory!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!" Insert sunshine in background plus everyone blinded.

"… So troublesome. Tomorrow night we'll do the forests outside the wall and the other shinobi will do the rest. You guys are dismissed".

No body responded right away; they were all too tired. Then we slowly got up and trotted to our own way. To anybody at the moment we probably looked like we were zombies. Our steps were slow and sluggish as our heads nodded off. Behind me I heard someone walking into a tree with"Oof!" but I can't be sure who. My brain cells were dead tired. But then an idea came to me and my brain cells jumped to full alert. A small but cheeky grin made its way onto my face. Itachi must be tired too. '_Oooh! You're good_,' I am, aren't I?

I went to Itachi, who was at the back of our group and was getting slower and slower. And just like a few months ago, I effortlessly picked him up, bridal style. He let out a defeated sigh and rested his head on my right shoulder, where he belonged. I couldn't help the smirk that formed on my face as I watched Naruto gawked. He probably wanted to do this, but the idiot was too slow. Juugo led our group back to the main house, without the guidance of the moon. We haven't seen the moon in a long time. And I couldn't help but think of what's outside the village. The other countries probably knew of our war by now, after all, a Great Ninja War affects the whole world. The Sand was dealing with the rampaging bandits, but they were quickly getting rid of those. Soon they'll be able to send in support. I knew of the possibility that Iwagakure might join forces with Kumogakure, like the last Great Ninja War. Only this time, we won't have the Yellow Flash to help us. '_Ah, but we have someone just as strong, don't we?_'

We do; we have a powerhouse blond idiot.

Without a goodnight or anything, we separated and went to our own room. I went into Itachi's room and gently put him to bed. He looked so frail and my fingers twitched from strain. Years upon years of hatred boiled at my stomach. And I knew, no matter how thing go, deep down, my hatred for the murderer inside was still boiling. I love this brother now, but when he remembers again, I don't know if I'll be able to control myself. I leaned down and gave him a small peck on the forehead, breathing in his scent, my addiction. He was so hot, his skin I mean.

I still hate him deep down.

'_No you don't, you're just angry with him_'.

I was angry because I spent my whole life getting stronger, only to know that that was all for nothing.

'_But you are stronger now. You don't have to use your powers for killing him_".

But who knows what he'll do to me when he remembers.

'_Who cares about then? He loves you __**now**__!_'

And I still don't know why he killed the clan.

'_But I get the feeling that it's the key to a lot of things_'.

Yes, I'll love him now and hate him later.

'_What the hell? Have you been listening to me, boy?_'

* * *

There you go. Sorry for the late update.  
I don't really have much to say.

Please vote for which of my one-shot you'd like me to write as a long shot.  
But other than that, review.

Next chapter is called War.

Review


	11. Chapter 10

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

War

We were attacked, but not by our rightful enemies. We were attacked by Akatsuki. I hadn't been there myself, but I heard from the report that one Konoha shinobi was killed. Kakashi stopped training Juugo and took Naruto away with Yamato. Later that dark day, Sakura told me that Sarutobi Asuma died. I could imagine why the Hokage was about to explode, with all this crap on her shoulder, who wouldn't? Nara Shikamaru began smoking and I was slightly unnerved. Things were changing so quickly and unexpectedly. More forces from the front line were coming in from the enemy and our shinobi were wavering; seventy three percent of our shinobi were inexperience in war.

Our Hokage was split in two. She was needed in her office, in the hospital and out in the fields. It got up to the point where she handed her office to her most trusted strategists. She herself went to the hospital. Medics had their own codes to follow; one of them being to heal the injured before anything else. That left the space at the front line. She didn't have anyone to go up there, no one at all.

And yet, at the back of my mind, one solution came up. I just refused to acknowledge it.

Apparently Naruto, Kakashi and Yamato were training; they needed Naruto and his carried legacy. They needed the Yondaime's Legacy. He was working on completing the Rasengan, with Yamato keeping the Kyuubi in line and Kakashi supervising. The first stage was working with his wind affinity. They camped out in the training ground, not coming back to their house. Sakura and Tsunade came and kidnapped Karin a few days ago; she was needed at the hospital. Her job was to supply chakra, it was the perfect job. Some chuunins at the academy were needed in missions, so Juugo was to supervise the kids. It seemed that being around kids kept him the calmest. Suigetsu volunteered to help out in the front line, where he got to slaughter the enemies endlessly. Sometimes I would do missions assigned to me and sometimes I would patrol. But it seems that I won't get to work with my team anytime soon.

Itachi was left alone most nights with only one unseen ANBU as a company. But even then, sometimes the ANBU was needed elsewhere. So as a solution, the Konohamaru Corp was assigned to stand guard. And sometimes I would come back from a long mission to find my brother all worn out and with scratches all over. The kids would tell me that sometimes he trained and sometimes he worked on strange seals. And I never got the chance to properly talk to him since. War was finally setting in on all of us.

But then that day came. Team ten and Kakashi ambushed the two Akatsuki members and engaged them in a battle to delay the wait for Naruto. I was sent as a back up, but Nara had this Hidan all buried. Sakura and Sai followed and we went to the other fight together. I could've taken the Akatsuki member head on, I knew that. But I realised that this fight was not mine, but Naruto's. This was Naruto's first step to training to become the Rokudaime. So I stood back and watched. I watched as my best friend grew stronger, leaps by bounds. He used destructive strategies; they were simple, but effective. They weren't on the same level as Shikamaru would go, but they were unpredictable non-the-less.

But, my thoughts had absolutely nothing with what I'm about to do now. Infiltrating one of the enemy camps was not my favourite job. Sure I prefer to work by myself, but this just crap. The camp had what? 27 nins? And there's only one me. I could take them on easily, but this is getting ridiculous. Where are all our shinobi? And this is getting worse, small countries were being used as battlefields, lives were taken mercilessly. And lately I've been feeling more depressed than usual. War was a depressing bang!

Suppressing my chakra, I hid in the shadow of the largest tree. I've taken care of the patrolling guards and left clones to keep watch. I was thinking of taking them one by one, but they were all together, so I'll have to take them all on at once. This could get messy, I just knew it. So, taking in the deepest breath I could, I charged. Unlike the dobe or Suigetsu, I didn't let out a loud war cry; I moved in silence with the shadow of the night. I didn't look at the faces of my victims nor did I show mercy.

Orochimaru has given me many similar missions; I knew what was best to do for both parties. I made sure my kills were quick and clean, with as little pain as possible for the enemy warriors. But they were jounins, they had experience and knew more of war than I. Not only did they outnumbered me, but they out experienced me also. They came at me from all angles, not giving me a moment of break. That was when I herd the quiet mutter of "Byakuugan".

I heard many grunts and groans of pain that followed the sound of Neji's voice. I dodged the punch aimed at my heart, delivering a powerful kick in return. The Iwa jounin gave me a hateful look before taking in his last breath. I realised too late what the gesture meant. The man exploded. The force of the blow not only blew me back, but his team mates were thrown away also and some were less fortunate, they died.

"Retreat! Retreat!" I heard the captain yell. The very few Iwa shinobi left hurriedly and retreat, as their captain told them. But in my adrenaline rushed state, my arm automatically flung a kunai… … straight into a man's heart. A cold, dull pain stung me from the inside. War was indeed, a man's most painful mission.

"Are you okay, Uchiha?" Neji's cold voice sounded from behind me. He, too, sounded anguished.

"Hn," and with that, I went in search for anything worth value.

I found many scrolls; most of them are ordered missions from their Tsuchikage and some are letter from their family. With this kind of pain, my heart does what it usually does; it shut out emotions all together. I became the cold-hearted Uchiha that Naruto fought to destroy; I became the killer Orochimaru trained. I searched for information that would help the strategists keep up with the enemy.

"Uchiha, there is a scroll locked in a box to your right," Neji told me.

I didn't give a reply, not that he expected one anyways. I found the small wooded box under layers of tents and blood. I didn't even search for the key; I merely used my sword and chopped the lid off. The first thing I noticed inside the box was the key. What the hell? If I hadn't attacked, would the captain be spending his evening trying to find the key? But that didn't really matter. I grabbed the only other item in the box and turned to Neji. We had what we came for, now it's time to high-tail out of this bloody forest.

I knew Neji understood exactly what I was feeling right now; he too was not experience in war. Bursts of chakra a few miles to my left stopped me in my track. Hyuuga stopped next to me, looking in the direction it was coming from. But he took too long. With an impatient hissed, I made a beeline for the location the fight was coming from. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Neji hesitate before jumping in my path. His stance indicated that he wishes to prevent me from going ahead.

"What is the meaning of this, Hyuuga?" I hissed, narrowing my Sharingans in anger.

"We have finished our mission, Uchiha. It is crucial that the strategists get that scroll as soon as possible," he stated just as calmly.

"Our shinobi could need help" I argued.

"How do you even know it's our shinobi?"

"I won't risk it, then"

"When did you care so much, Uchiha?"

"And when did you care so less, Hyuuga?"

He hesitated a moment too long, so I dashed. I have far greater speed, as all Uchihas do and covered more distance in no time at all. As I got closer to the fight scene, a feel of dread settled in my stomach. The smell of blood and smoke in the winter air became more apparent. Yells and cries were heard, I increased my speed. Neji caught up with me just as I entered the large clearing where the fight is still going on. We immediately took notice of the bodies littered on the cold ground. Altogether there were 17 from the enemies and 10 from Konoha and 3 from Suna, but most of them were still alive, just wounded. I saw Kiba, Shino and Yamato fighting the enemy along with a ninja that I don't know. Konoha nins were easier to recognise now, with us wearing black coats and all. This must be the sister camp that the captain from the other camp was talking about. The question is why were there two camps in an area where there's nothing to destroy?

Without further thoughts, Hyuuga and I dashed into the clearing, taking out any Iwa nin that came in our path. But it seems that the captain of their camp recognised me and Hyuuga. He ordered his men to retreat, just like the other camp. And yet, I couldn't help but feel that the whole thing was a well planned act. Kiba huffed, not very pleased that I had to come and rescue his team.

"We didn't need your help, Uchiha," he said.

I was about to reply, but the ninja that I didn't recognise jumped onto a tree and sped away. Yamato and Shino seemed to relax a little. But I didn't pay attention to the other ninja; he was probably just a drop-in like me and Neji. I rolled my eyes just to piss him off and jumped away, like the other ninja. Neji nodded to Yamato and followed me.

The scroll I stole from the enemy camp burned through the pouch to my leg. It felt as if it weighted more than anything in the world. I wanted to rip it open and read the damn thing, but of course I didn't. Very unsurprisingly, the travel back to Konoha was silent. I didn't have anything to say and neither did he; we were just silent that way. The forest was silent as well. Animals fled in order to survive. It was just starting to occur to me how horrible war can really be.

I hurriedly gave the guards at the gate my mission pass. I didn't care what Neji decided to do, but I had to get this scroll to the strategists, only then will I be able to read it. Neji's chakra went in the direction of the clan districts, which means that he left the mission report to be done by me. Lazy bastard, now I know how Shino felt last week. I ignored everything else and made a beeline for the Hokage Tower. My whole being longed to feel Itachi near me. I also longed for many other things, like the sun, the blue sky and ramen; I never thought I'd ever say that. The guards at the large door didn't stop me; I was here very regularly. Itachi was here just as much as me. All the guards stopped being wary of him, they were distracted by the war; they had no time to sleep with one eye open.

The room that was once filled with shinobi with very high IQ was now almost empty. Shikamaru and Ibiki were almost always here. Sometimes Ibiki would be needed in the interrogation department and Shikamaru was sometimes needed in the front line. Kakashi was sometimes here too, but he was more needed in the battle fields. However, today there was only Shikamaru, Ibiki, two other guys I don't remember and Kurenai who looked very large with her pregnant stomach. Morino looked at me expectantly, awaiting the damn scroll. I didn't hesitate to hand it to him. He made sure to keep his scarred face blank as he read the scroll, but I knew better. I knew that the scroll was bad news; if his large gulping was any indication. Kurenai looked over his shoulder while Shikamaru raised an interested eyebrow.

"Well?" I demanded. I wasn't even sure if it had anything to do with me at all.

"Nothing," he said, "it's just a mission scroll".

"Bad news?" I asked casually.

He looked as if he was cornered. "Maybe," he curtly muttered. I narrowed my eyes and snatched the scroll from his hands. He didn't try to stop me.

_**Captain Aizawaki**_

_**We have the syndrome completed. Bring in Uchiha Itachi alive at all cost.**_

_**Failure is intolerable and will have severe consequences. **_

_**Yondaime Tsuchikage**_

Well…… that was interesting. Yeah, someone was going to suffer under my wrath.

I took deep breath in through my nose and exhaled through my mouth. The veins in my forehead throbbed violently as I closed me eyes. I could feel my shadow being taken over by Shikamaru, but I didn't struggle. It's for the safety of everyone else. Ibiki was tensed as Kurenai stepped back, hands over her large stomach. I wasn't very aware of what I looked like I was about to do, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a pretty sight. My chakra spiked about and the candles around the room flickered. Madness clutched its ugly hands in my throat as I chuckled very calmly. After that, everything became a blur.

When I came to, I was in my bedroom. I didn't need to look to know that aniki was sitting on my bed, next to my pillow. I turned and wrapped my arms around his waist and snuggled my head into his lap. But his scent was all wrong. It smelled too much like ramen. My eyes snapped open and I ceased any movement. Dear lord, I pray it isn't who I think it is.

"Eh, Teme, 'Tachi isn't here. He's outside doing his nails, it's so cute," the dobe said. My arms were back at my side in less than second and I was on the other side of the bed. Oh god, how did I get here? "What happened anyway, Teme?"

"What do you mean dobe?" I mumbled.

"Well, Ibiki and Shikamaru dragged you here unconscious. 'Tachi nearly burnt the whole house down".

That sounds so unmanly that it doesn't even sound like me. I took a few moments to let the recent events sink in. And when it did… oh boy! I left Naruto in my room to wonder where the heck I blurred to. This is where I curse the Uchiha mansion for being so damn big. I fought the dizziness and the nausea when the strong smell of nail polish hit me full force. I huffed through my mouth, leaning on the wall for support. Somewhere in the back of my head, a very important piece of information stabbed at my mind. I was missing something big, no; I was forgetting something very big. It probably had something to do with why I was in such a hurry to see my Itachi.

I found him with Karin, no surprise there. He sat doing whatever he usually does with Karin when I'm away. He looked so homey and at eased that I regret what I'm about to tell him, but he was a shinobi by nature, he was bound to find out. I cleared my throat loudly, looking as cool as ever. I gawked when he turned and I saw purple nail polish on his nails. Ah… that was awkward.

"Ah! Sasuke-kun, I'm so happy to see you're awake," Karin squealed. "Maybe when you feel better, we can go out and do an activity together?" Blink, blink. Wink, wink. What is that girl trying to do? Does she have a fly in her eyes?

She turned back and was met with the cold stare of my beautiful brother. She laughed nervously and dashed away, saying something about saving a drowning turtle. Now where have I heard that before? Shouldn't she be at the hospital anyways?

"Aniki?" I started. "Pray tell, what **are** you doing?" Never, in my whole life did I ever try to imagine that I'd ever see my aniki with nail polish.

"The old layer was pealing off. I merely reapplied a new layer," he whispered. I wonder what he would sound like when he raised his voice higher than whisper. '_Ha, wouldn't you like to know_,' the new voice of my conscience giggled. Now who did this one sound like? Ah, yes. It sounded like that blond girl from Suna, Gaara's sister. I really can't wait for the day when I can get rid of that voice. '_How rude. I'm right here, you know?_'

"Aniki, you don't have to do anything you don't want to, okay?"

"Hn"

"What is it that you wish to tell me, otouto?"

I hesitated. I wasn't very fond of the idea of telling him. "…".

"Ibiki has already told me. Be at ease, otouto," he muttered. I heaved in relief.

"So, you already know?" I asked just to be sure we're on the same page.

He nodded.

I took a seat next to him on the cold floor. I twitched; my butt was going numb.

"And… are you scared?" I asked. I wasn't really surprised when he shook his head. My brother was never scared of anything, except thunder obviously, though he'd never ever show that fear. I was the only one who knows. A fond smile fled to my face. I lifted his right foot to inspect his nails, they were very neatly done.

"Otouto, I really do think that it's time that you let me fight," he said suddenly. His voice remained calm and collected, though I knew that he was anxious.

"We've been through this so many times before. You will not fight".

"You do not have the right to stop me. If I wish to fight, then I will," I was about to interrupt him, but he held up his hand, silencing me. "By staying here, I become an unmoving target. This will also put the children at risk, something you know full well I will not allow. Konoha needs me and you are well aware of that. Otouto, what is it, that's making you keep me here?"

I half sighed and half groaned in defeat. Lying back on the wooden floor, I didn't care if the harsh, coldness bit into my back. He was being so difficult. I wondered if he was this stubborn back in the Akatsuki, if so, he must've given them one hell of a time. I would've thought he was black-mailing me if his tone wasn't so indifferent.

But, what he said had a point. Well, it had points actually. And yet, if he was out there fighting, he'd be that much closer to the people trying to kidnap him. But if he was just sitting here, he'd be like a sitting duck, just waiting to be taken away. But he could get hurt in the battle field. And yet again, I **don't** have the right to stop him; he's my **older** brother. Ack! So many 'buts' it's almost painful. Now I know how the dobe feels when he's trying to come up with a well planned plan for missions.

I huffed. "Hn, do what you want. But I'm coming with you on the battle fields, understand?" It wasn't like I can refuse him anyways. He shrugged. I supposed he didn't care, as long as he could do something around here.

I furrowed my brows. War was indeed, a very depressing time. There was never a moment that I didn't know at the back of my mind that war was going on. And one of the worse things about wars is that there were almost always meetings. Meetings after meetings, about pointless things that didn't need meetings to figure out. But then, I suppose, that this meeting was worth attending. It was about Uchiha Itachi, after all.

I narrowed my hardened eyes as I thought back to the cursed meeting. Those two old baboons were selfish and old-fashioned, completely unaware of what the war could do. When the Sandaime was in control, he also kept _them_ in control. But he was no more and the old bats took advantage. They thought they were older, which they are, and so much wiser, but they were wrong. They thought that the current Hokage was immature and childish, that she needed them to rule for her. But that wasn't meant to be, the Hokage was strong and a ruler by nature; the old councils had no chance. But that didn't stop them from plotting; anything to piss the Hokage off. Over the decades, they lost sight of their true purpose.

And yet, until now, I never cared about their business. But now that they brought Itachi into it, they were going to get it. They could try to take over the counselling seats; they could even try to take over Konoha herself, but not my Itachi. I shook violently when their exact words came forth to my mind.

I had taken my damn time to come to the Tower to tell the old fools that Itachi was going to fight from now on. In fact, I didn't even plan on telling those two geezers, just the Hokage, but they were _conveniently _there. The Hokage almost happily agreed to the whole deal, but they weren't. They expected something in return for letting Itachi fight. They thought that fighting was what he enjoyed the most; they expected a prize for that. I felt the presence of the chakra infused wall next to me. The temptation was very powerful, it tempted me to just ball my fist and punch it, just to feel better and release my anger.

They threat. They said that if Itachi stepped out of line just once, his life would belong to them. If he were to lift even a finger against a fellow shinobi, he would no longer be under my authority, but theirs. But of course I had to agree, what power do I have against them? Then again, I knew Itachi wouldn't hurt others. I squeezed my eyes shut tight. I thought that the Akatsuki and Iwa were the only enemies I need, now the stupid councils too? When were those two old bats going to realise that they were no longer needed in this damn world?

"He hasn't handed his report in yet?" Ibiki's muffled voice rang through the wall.

I stopped in my track and listened. It's not like I was going to make a habit of eavesdropping, anyways.

"No," a voice I rarely heard replied. It was Shino's voice.

I heard Ibiki growled quietly. "We need that report, what's keeping him?"

"Come on, man," Kiba's boisterous voice said. "You gotta give him time. He has to keep an eye out for his brother too, you know? The Uchiha would be furious if he found out".

"Indeed".

I had absolutely no doubt that this concerned me. See how useful eavesdropping is? I opened the door to the room full of scrolls and raised an eyebrow. "That depends on what you're going to tell me," I said, interrupting Ibiki. I saw all four of them, including Akamaru, freeze up. I rolled my eyes. They were acting as if the world was about to come to an end, but that may be; depending on what they tell me.

"Well?" I demanded. I remember the last time I demanded that.

I saw Ibiki gulped. They stayed frozen and refused to answer. I grew impatient and walked around the room. This is the room where all mission reports concerning the war come in. But I wonder, what are they keeping from me that would make me furious? '_I don't know, but it's gotta have something to do with aniki,_' Temari's voice said. I still freak out when I hear her voice. I've only heard it once before. I spotted the newly reported scroll; Shino's. Without permission, I grabbed the scroll form the table and ripped it open. I've had enough of lies and secrets. I'm sick of people keeping me out of the pictures and playing with my life.

Not long, no, it didn't take long for my earlier rage to come flooding back. Ibiki tensed up again, ready for another round of Uchiha Rage. But unlike last time, I didn't just stand there and wait to be knocked out. This time I ran. I gathered the remaining chakra in my system and headed for the Uchiha manor. Ironic, really. Even when he doesn't remember anything, he still lies to me. He still leaves me out of the circle, in the dark. He does things without letting me know, as if he didn't need me at all.

I found him in the back garden, scouting for anthills. He swung a thin stick around, as if it were a magic wand. Sporting my extra black cloak, he looked about to go on a mission. This angered me very much. I made my way to him very silently, but I'm sure that he sensed me nonetheless. He was a shinobi after all. I grabbed his shoulder and spun him around roughly, just like I did so many weeks before. The familiar rush of domination flooded through me. But I was beyond trying to dominate my brother, no, I was far beyond that.

"You've been doing missions," I stated calmly. "When were you planning on telling me, aniki? Were you even planning on telling me at all?"

With a proud smirk, he looked me in the eyes. "So you found out. I knew you would eventually," he muttered. But for me, it meant a whole new thing. I've been waiting for so very long to have him look at me like that. Father looked at me like that only once, but I wanted it from Itachi more than him. I find it very difficult to remain angry at him when he's looking at me like that. '_Snap out of it, you desperate dog,_' Temari's voice snapped at me.

"D-don't," I blinked. "Don't try and seduce me, you little mink," I hissed. He raised his eyebrows in an act of innocence, but his smirk remained. "Aniki, you were lying to me, just like you did before all of this". I let the hurt seeped through my eyes, just for a second. He must've noticed, because his dark eyes suddenly softened. His killer hand landed on my head softly. His expression went back to being blank, cold as ever and he suddenly feels very tall to me. I feel as if he was a god and I'd never have him, ever. I was a sinner and he was a being too perfect for this damned world.

"Don't fret little brother. I've only done two small missions," he said.

"That's not the point. The point is that if I hadn't found out, would you have told me? Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?"

"I was given the offer just after you left for you mission. Too many people are dying, so I accepted right away. You gave me permission to fight anyways, all's good and well". He must've seen my sceptical look. He closed his eyes and I was pretty sure that he must've rolled his eyes behind the lids. "Hurry up then, give me my punishment so we can get this over and done with," he said.

But I couldn't help the small smile form coming forth to my face. I knew what he meant better than anyone. It was his very own way of saying sorry and that he wouldn't do it ever again. Now, what punishment was right for this little weasel?

_**Flashback **_

"_I do have fears, otouto," he whispered into my ears. "I fear above all that you'd leave me in this strange village that I no longer know". And I have suddenly felt very good to hear that. "After that, there is only one other fear," but by now, I have stopped listening all together. I was all mushy inside, like a love-sick puppy. "I fear of turning into a porcelain doll, Karin treats me like one. I've read from a book that if you treat something like another, it really does turn into the other," he leans forward, as if to share a secret. "And she keeps calling me one……………otouto, are you listening to me?" ……amazing how his face remains cold……_

_**End of Flashback**_

"Punishment," I muttered. I knocked the stick from his hand and without warning; I grabbed him around the waist and hoisted him up and over my shoulder. If it's punishment he wants, then it's punishment he'll get. Now where would Karin be at times like this? The sun is going down any minute now, so she'll be in the kitchen.

And as I expected, she was more than willing to comply. She said something about punishing her baby for something I didn't bother to listen to. I remembered my Itachi giving me a blank stare as I put him down and left him in the kitchen all alone with Karin. He narrowed his eyes, a sign that he would get even, when Karin took his hair out and put it into various styles. I knew I wounded his male pride more than anything else, after all; what kind of man likes having his prided hair done like a doll's? Certainly not _**the**_ Uchiha Itachi, I know that for sure.

I went into my Itachi's room and got his mission report. I was going to hand it in for him. There's no point in being upset, my brother knew what he was doing. He doesn't remember anything in the social life circle, but on the battle field, he was a god. He was a killer that knew no limit, someone far beyond this world. In some twisted way, it made sense that he was able to kill our entire family in one night.

With absolutely no doubt, Ibiki was shocked senseless when I stepped into the mission room completely sane.

* * *

So sorry for the very late update. Things came up, I got distracted and BAM! Sasu/Ita on the hold.  
But here it is... do enjoy.

Somewhere along the story line, there will be other character's P.O.V.... ..... and of course... yaoi.

And please don't forget, the review botton isn't far.


	12. Chapter 11

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Saske/Itachi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Still Sasuke's P.O.V

Infiltrate

The thing with infiltrating is that you have to be fast, concentrated, patient and damn quiet. But I can't trust the dobe with the last one or Itachi with the second rule… actually; I can't trust the dobe with _any_ of those. And this mission was very important too. In fact, I don't even know why they decided to let Itachi come too. We were to infiltrate an abandon tower, similar to the one we went to before the war was declared. But this tower would be full of more deadly traps, not ones that included seduction. Kumo nins have been spotted coming in and out of this tower. Konoha had every right to suspect that Iwagakure and Kumogakure were making an alliance. If so, this war was going to be a repetition of the last one.

We weren't picked because we were great at infiltration, but rather because we were the only ones available. Shikamaru, having been bored of spending all day in the large room, tagged along. Itachi decided that he wanted help, and thus; I also tagged along. The dobe wouldn't trust me alone with my Itachi without making a making a move on him, so he tagged along. Shino was just here because he vowed to never miss out on the action ever since he was left out of the mission to get me back. Plus, he was pro at this sort of thing. Yeah; I could practically see him pouting in my head. Now we stood at the front gate, waiting for Shikamaru to arrive. The guards at the massive gates were on full alert; they couldn't afford to relax anymore.

The shadow user trotted over to us, taking his time. He looked as if he just woke up, but then again; he always looked like that. Shino and I cringed in disgust when he let out a large yawn. Naruto hopped from toe to toe, looking like he's about to burst.

"Come on, Shikamaru, hurry up," he whined. Then he turned around to my brother and took his hand, dragging him along. They jumped onto the first sets of trees and hopped away, leaving us behind. I rolled my eyes and jumped too. There's no way in hell am I staying behind when they're together. Shino silently, no surprise there, hopped beside me while Shikamaru groaned.

The forest was very quiet. I have no doubt that the animals have already escaped. We had to be on guard, even Naruto knew this fact. We'd be going around the front line and into the enemy territory, one mistake cannot be made. Naruto has matured, I see that. He was well on his way to becoming the Rokudaime, but before that; he had to survive the war. I could see it burning in his eyes. He'd rather die before letting anyone get hurt. And because of this, he was already Hokage. But still, no matter how noble he is, he's still a pervert when it comes to my brother.

The mission was A-ranked, just hovering on the edge of S-rank. We needed to know if Kumo was really making an alliance with Iwa. This abandoned tower near the front line was what we needed. I guess we were the spies for Konoha. Though I prefer it if Itachi wasn't here. Who knows what's lurking in the shadows, just waiting to snatch him away from me.

'_You know, the reason you and team Hebi is in Konoha was because you wanted Itachi to remember again. Now look at you, you're a family guy. You planned on leaving the village again after he remembers again, but can you really do it? When the time comes that he remembers; can you leave Konoha?_' Temari's voice taunts me. I didn't need to think. I wouldn't leave the village, not like last time.

"We're going higher up. Try to avoid leaving trails," Shikamaru muttered. We can't afford speaking any louder than a mutter. Following his example, we all jumped onto the branches on the higher layer. We nearly travel at the top of the canopy. Iwa had conquered Grass before the war broke out; that is where the front line is. What's even worse is that the Land of Earth is surrounded by mountain ranges, protecting it from outside invasions. And it's hard to get rid of mountains, unlike Leaves where you just have to burn them. But Iwa didn't count on one thing; Konoha had their spies in Iwa too. We've received monthly reports from those spies, informing us on their activities. What I find very disturbing was the fact that the Tsuchikage seemed pretty desperate on getting his hands on my Itachi.

I saw no doubt that the silence was bothering Naruto very much. Shino was always silent; I can't be bothered talking and Shikamaru was just plain lazy. "So, uh, do we have a plan?" the dobe said. I smirk; I knew he wouldn't be able to keep silent for long.

Shikamaru yawned. "Yeah. Just have to get in without being found out and get out with information".

"That's it?" the dobe yell. "Gee, coming from you, it sounds like an idiot made it up".

I whacked him in the back of the head. I also couldn't resist sneaking a glance at my beautiful brother.

"Well, when you come up with something better, tell me. But until then, keep quiet. You're too damn loud," the lazy genius mumbled. I was scared shitless that he might drop unconscious any minute now. The dobe pouted and turned to Itachi, who was the only one that was being nice to him.

And that was how things went for the next four days. Naruto would try to break the golden silence; argue with Shikamary, who was his only target, and then he'd try to get Shino to talk. Then he would complain about no ramen and argue with me. I'd beat him at the back of the head and he'd go sulking to my Itachi. Then I would sulk because aniki glared at me for not being nice. Oh yeah, then the dobe would do a little victory dance, entertaining my aniki.

We moved as fast as we could, even then, it took us four days to go around the enemy line and into their territory. We went around the borders of Kusa _(Grass)_ and Ame _(Rain)_ and entered The Land of Earth on the south-east border. I could literally swear; I've never seen so many mountains in my life. I have no doubt that if we were to invade, they would be notified and we'd have a hard time getting around. Iwa was surrounded by hard, tall mountains and Konoha was surrounded by trees and leaves. Now I know why _they_ declared war and not the other way around.

On the morning of the fifth day at dawn, we sat and talked. "Alright, I finally got a plan," Shikamary sighed. "We can't risk getting surrounded from the outside, so Naruto, Itachi will patrol the perimeter. Uchiha and I will get the information and such. Shino," he turned to Shino, "I need you to… … … split up and patrol inside and outside. We can't use our earphones less we risk getting another signal, so we'll have an hour to get what we need to know. We'll move out tonight".

And as the chuunin said, we headed out at sunset. The tower was on the edge of a small town on a mountain. So in order to get there, we had to climb up the steep edge. Something that Shikamaru and Itachi had slight problems with. Shikamaru smoked for a short period of time, but the damage was done. Itachi had problems because the wind was so damn strong that his hair kept blowing in his face. But there was one natural problem that all of us had to beware. This country was known for its impossible ranges of mountains and the violent wind. The wind got so strong that rocks and small boulders were carried and dropped on towns. It's a very dangerous country indeed.

At least the temperature here is much warmer. We still need to wear our cloaks though.

None of us needed to be told, so we all took our hitai-ate off and put it away. There was also no need to explain why we did that, its really common sense. The town was dark by the time we got up there. With the harsh wind howling all around us, we casually took in the sight of the empty town. The town was, without a doubt, evacuated. There was no sign of human life anywhere, just cats and other abandoned stuff. But we took caution never-the-less. We suppressed our chakra signatures and separated, going to our positions. I took Itachi's hand just before he went.

He looked at me. "Aniki, be careful," I said. I knew I probably didn't sound like I meant it, cold and stoic, but I do.

"I have been on missions before," and with that, he turned with a superior smirk on his face. I twitched; that was the last time I'd do that. That bastard could be such a bastard sometimes. I watched as he did a simple seal. Now, in his place, stood on all four, was a raven cat. A genjutsu, as a cat? But I supposed it made sense; nobody would suspect a cat.

I could honestly say that I could not control the perverted grin that bloomed across my face as I watch his cute little butt sway. Shikamaru looked at me strangely. I could tell that he wanted to roll his eyes, but he was just too lazy. "Can you drool later and hurry up? We've only got an hour," he said, heading to the tower at the outer edge of the town.

My mission mode switched on instantly. We made sure to stay within the night shadows. The enemy guards were around, we couldn't see them, but they were certainly there. A few bugs buzzed around, but that was just Shino. We didn't take the obvious windows like some idiot, no, we took the trees at the back of the tower and thus; the back window. The halls and corridors weren't lit with lights form the ceiling but rather, dimly lit candles. There weren't many guards, but I suspect that they suspect that attacks come at dawn. Makes sense?

And so, we separated. Shikamaru went one way and I the other. I don't really know what to look for, so I grab the things that stand out. I got a blank scroll form my pouch and sealed many other scrolls within it. Scrolls within a scroll; a useful technique. The silence buzzed around my ears as I concentrated on packing and keeping my senses on alert. I reached for a particular scroll, but my body froze. I lost all control of my body.

"Don't struggle, Uchiha," Nara's voice whispered. "Look carefully".

And I looked. I looked down on the dusty table and across. My eyes widened slightly as a very thin beam of light shined. Ah, so it had a trap underneath the layers of books, after all.

"How did you know?" I asked him. He withdraws his control and sigh.

"I fell for it myself," he said. I twitched. "The guards are on their way right now. We have to get out of here; the others are combating as we speak".

I didn't stay to hear anymore. The possibility that Itachi was fighting had me flying out the window, stealth be damned. I put the scroll back in my pouch and heard Nara sigh again. We got out through the front window and were showered with lots and lots of orange. That is one big army of Narutos. But the dobe's clones were dispatched very easily, so the make it up with numbers and loudness. Shino was silently taking out the nins on the edge of the clearing.

Then my Sharingan landed on him. He was silent; he was swift and he was very fast. His strikes were deadly accurate as his kicks were powered. He didn't hesitate to throw a kunai. He didn't hesitate to break their bones and he was certainly not hesitant to break their necks; a clean break. He was death amongst them and I was scared that I might've lost my aniki. This was the Uchiha Itachi that fought alongside Akatsuki; the murderer. Blood splattered on his porcelain skin as painful cracks followed his blows. Across his enemies, he danced as death followed his steps. He got closer and closer to me and I was nervous about our tango that was sure to come. Then he slapped me.

"Otouto, what are you not doing?" he snapped. Ouch!

"Fighting!" I answered as if I was still in school.

'_Tsk, you're such a teacher's pet_' No, Temari's voice, I'm not a teacher's pet, but rather; Itachi's pet.

Well, there goes our tango; so fast it didn't even begin.

He gave me a strange look before turning back to his dance. To me, it looked like organised chaos. But that's my brother for you. I gave an embarrassed grunt and fought. It was times like these that I can get a good look at how shinobis' bodies move. We bend, we strike and we kill. We defy nature herself and still live to tell the tale. I'm not sure we're even human at this stage. We let our instinct take over; we work our muscles like never before, like wild beasts. The only thing that keeps us human at this fighting stage was our logic mind. But for Uzumaki Naruto, I'm not so sure.

I axe-kicked a random ninja and threw a kunai in the shadow of the next one. I strike with my legs and blocked with my arms. I wasn't as flexible as my brother; there's no way can I do what he does, even if I copy his moves. The dobe's moves were slow but powerful, breaking many bones. Shino's moves were… … well I don't know where that guy is, but he's probably everywhere. Choosing to stay within the night shadows, Shikamaru settled for just strangling his opponents with his shadow hand. I noticed that aniki only used Taijutsu, so he doesn't know any ninjutsu or genjutsu.

"Let's get out of here!" Shikamaru yelled for the first time. "We have everything already".

I didn't hesitate to follow that order. The sooner I get Itachi away from fights, the sooner I can breathe properly. Our departure took the enemies by surprise, and that gave us just enough time to put some distant between us. Unlike our lazed travels, our jumps were quick and silent, leaving our silhouette as dark blurs. And unlike our way up, we didn't have to climb on all four. We got down the steep mountain on the seventh jump. At this point, Naruto created three groups of clones disguised as us and had them separate. I'm not really sure if the Iwa nins would fall for the trick, but they don't have many nins who could create Kage Bunshun; thus, not enough experience with them. There was another town at the foot of the mountain; we headed there.

Unlike the one at the top, this one was much smaller. It would take around half an hour to cross it, by walking. And that was what Shikamaru had us do.

"Use a genjutsu, make sure it's unnoticeable. We'll act as civilians crossing the town," the lazy genius said. "At exactly half an hour from now, we'll meet at the front gate and continue form there. Make sure to lose the Iwa nins". He gave us a small nodd and headed out, disguising as a woman who looked like she's about to ditch her husband. Shino had no problem. He became thousands of small bugs in seconds and went his own way. He's a lucky, lucky man.

I couldn't help teasing the dobe. "Half an hour, dobe," I taunt. "That's ten times it takes to cook ramen". He looked mad, and then the look of realisation hit him. Then he looked mad again.

He huffed. "I knew that, teme," he mumbled. His eyes brightened as a foxy grin made its way to his face. He put his hand into the tiger seal and puffs of smoke surround him. I cringed. I cringed in horror at the sight of large breasts and curvy hips. I admit, the woman in front of me was absolutely and stunningly beautiful. But somehow, with Itachi standing next to her, she didn't seem all that beautiful.

I twitched. "Put some clothes on, idiot," I said, before disguising myself as middle aged man. Then I turned to Itachi. "I'm married, be my wife". The dobe gaped, looking as if the world of ramen just ended. I smirk, holding my hand out for aniki. He looked confused, staring at my hand with interest. I rolled my now green eyes and blew the now brown strand of hair from my eyes. "Don't pretend, I know you know how to do this jutsu," I said. I knew what he was up to. He was pretending to know as little as possible about the ninja world just to make me happy. But he didn't have to, I knew what I genius he is; he could learn it all if he so wanted to.

He smirked. Copying Naruto, he reappeared as a middle aged woman, with blond hair and the same green eyes that I now have. I sighed in disappointment; I like the way he looked better. I gently took his _(her)_ hands and walked away from the gaping dobe. That's 3 point for Uchiha and 1 point for Uzumaki. Oh who was I kidding, make that 5 point for Uzumaki. So we have half an hour to enjoy the village. There seemed to be some kind of small festival going on. There were no fireworks or big lightings, but there was this atmosphere. It felt tense and dense and I feel like I might snap and do something irrational.

All around the town I could feel the chakra of our enemies. They were constantly moving and dodging into alleys. Our disguises blended in perfectly. There were so many couples holding hands that I lost count. There were teenagers making out and couples exchanging gifts and small kisses. What kind of village has this type of festival during a war?

I took my beloved into an alley to get to the other side of the festival; thus, closer to our meeting place. "Excuse me ma'am, have you seen a group of teenagers around here, wearing black cloaks?" a jounin Iwa nin asked. The old woman he was asking shook her head. Without further a due, aniki took me to back to the main street. So we continued on our journey, silent and hand in hand. We would've looked very cold, so we made sure to always keep our face warm and smiling. I took him to a few game booths and won him small prizes; we can't afford big stuffed animals on our travel. The whole time, my hand never left his.

Then it was time to head out, the others were probably on their way now. I didn't think twice; I just wanted Itachi out of this country, surrounded by people who want to capture him. So I took him in a straight line for the meeting place. I could not believe how irrational I was. We met two Kumo nins at the opposite mouth of the alley. They had their back to us and looked like they just got here, so I pinned my brother to the wall and kissed him senseless. He looked surprised, but he instantly got the picture.

It didn't exactly feel right kissing a woman in her forties, so I settled for closing my green eyes. Our kiss was very simple, unfortunately; it didn't involve saliva exchanging or tongues, just small nibbles. I was wrong, however. I thought that by doing this, the guards would leave us be, but they didn't. They approached us awkwardly and cleared their throat. Aniki and I pretended to be embarrassed as Itachi blushed and smoothed out his long skirt. Ah, I could only imagine what the real Itachi would look like now.

"S-sorry to bother you, but have you seen a group of teenagers? They're wearing black cloaks and are… … … good looking, actually," wow, that was freaky.

I shook my head, acting pissed that they interrupted. Actually, I wasn't acting at all.

But it seemed that Itachi had other plans. With his effeminate, kind voice, he turned to me and said, "Dear, don't you remember? They were the ones who bumped into us at the game booth," he spoke with an olden accent. The guards stood at attention.

"Oh yeah," I grunted, like an old, grumpy man would. "Those squirts made my aim off".

One of the Kumo guards, who looked ready to explode, grunted. "Which way did they go?" he demanded.

Taking his precious time, my wife answered. "Well, they looked to be in a hurry. They turned midway and headed up north. Poor kids looked like they forgot something important. Are they your gennin team?"

"Uh, yes ma'am," they lied.

With his mother mode on, my aniki said, "Well I hope you find them soon. One of them was talking about stealing something. You must teach your kids better than that," he scolded. I tried very hard not to laugh.

The big, buffy man finally exploded. "They're heading back for more scrolls!" he exclaimed, dashing back to the tower. His partner gave my wife an apologetic yet charming smile, completely ignoring me. Great! Now the enemies are falling for him too! What next? Babies, too?

We waited, and waited for their chakra signatures to completely go out of range before turning towards each other. His disguised lips were swollen. I didn't remember being that harsh on him. My aniki looked tired too, with his eyes half lidded and small pants coming from his swollen lips; he was too tempting. My limbs betrayed me as my mind cowers in a corner. Then, as if possessed, I leaned down, ghosting my breath on his lips. He, as a woman, was much shorter than my disguise. But that didn't stop me from nibbling at his lips, tasting all there is to taste.

He was the gasoline. I was the sexy match that dropped on him. And together, we blew this world apart. We were wild, nothing could stop us.

"Aniki," he growled.

My nibbles became desperate bites and sucks; my hands roam on every surface of his cloaked body. I made sucking sounds as I ravished him; something about it was hot. My thumbs caressed his clothed nipples as I licked his bottom lip. He arched his back into me. With his eyes shut tight, he was trembling too. I could tell he had even less control than me. He gasped and writhes. Needing to breath, he turned his head to the side, allowing me access to his jaw. I leaned down just a little, and slid my tongue along his jaw line. His panting could be heard so clearly; I wanted so much more.

Without warning, clouds of smoke surround us, dispelling our genjutsu. I slammed my hands against the wall behind him, attacking his jaw from every angle. The cloak prevents me from ever reaching his neck. His hands tugged at my hair, arching his back into me again and again. He whimpered, he gasped; all were music to my ears.

"O-otouto," he mewed. But that was all he allowed, nothing more, nothing less. He seemed still calm somehow. I ran my hungry tongue from behind his ears, along his jaw line and to his swollen lips. I could feel my conscience slowly disappearing. The mission didn't matter anymore; the _world_ didn't matter anymore. I growled hungry for so much more. The dark alley echoed our desperate pants and the sucking sounds I made.

A throat cleared from behind me. My aniki gasp and the world of reality came crashing down on me. It felt like an elephant was dropped one me and I still have the strength to stand. I came back down to Earth. The alleyway suddenly seemed so much darker, unlike the world where I was ravishing my aniki. I turned and saw only Shino's head floating in thin air. Right, no point in being embarrass in front of Shino.

And surprisingly, I was able to keep my hands of my Itachi, if only for tonight. We passed the border and came into the Land of Fire just half an hour ago. We've yet to find a safe location suitable for camp. We were tired and weary; two days without sleep does that to you. The constant threat of ambush and fights clouded our mind. I was in an ongoing battle against unconsciousness, fighting to keep everything in my body functioning. It wasn't long before the cold became too much and we had no choice but to rest in the nearest cave. Shuddering and on the edge of unconsciousness; we never thought that this simple mission could turn out like this.

The cave echoed a constant rhythm of _'drip; drip; drip'_. We dropped to our knees. Shikamaru's shadow couldn't stretch more than two feet from him; Shino could no longer fly and Naruto… well, he was just plain hungry. But we were all tired. Iwa and Kumo nins chased us right out of their country. They wouldn't rest until they had their scrolls back or we were in the Land of Fire again. Half an hour of travelling didn't get us very far from the border; we're still in danger. We came back, going around the front line and Amegakure. We didn't plan on this. Shikamaru had everything planned out; everything we do and everything _they_ do. But he hadn't planned on one thing; for the Kumo nins to already be working with Iwa. That… had been our biggest mistake.

So it ended up with us on the verge of crying to whichever god cared.

"It would be wise," my aniki whispered, "that you rest. I'm the least worn out, I'll keep watch". I wasn't sure who the hell he was talking to, but the offer seemed too good to pass. I didn't bother to unroll my sleeping bag; I just used the whole bag as a pillow. The others didn't do their sleeping arrangement either. And I knew, we would wake up for another two days. I knew I probably shouldn't leave Itachi awake alone, but I can't seem to be able to open my eyes anymore.

'_How pathetic,_' Temari's voice sneered. '_What do you think your brother will think of you now? He has endured amnesia; meeting strangers and accepting them as family; learning everything all over again and now; fighting in a war he doesn't even understand. He must see us as weak. He's just seen us fall to our knees; where is the infamous Uchiha pride? But admit it; he's still somehow stronger than you, wiser still and more mature. How do you feel, dear boy?_'

How do I feel? Damn tired, that's how I feel.

I didn't end up sleeping as much as the others. The anxiety of leaving Itachi awake alone nagged my mind. I ended up sleeping only for half a day, but that was enough; my chakra was at its fullest once again. Judging by the temperature and the darkness; I'd say that the sun just set. I found my aniki at the mouth of the cave, still as a statue. With a silent heave, I got up, my knees popping from lack of use. I made a few unnecessary sounds as to not startle him. I walked in front of him. His eyes were wide open and unblinking. His left hand was covered with shallow cuts, some fresh and some not. Without a doubt, I knew what they were from. My aniki inflicted his hand with cuts in hopes that the pain would keep him awake.

I placed my hand on his shoulder gently. "Aniki," I whisper. "Aniki, you can rest now".

He turned his head in my direction. It's only now that I see the dark rims around his eyes. His lips were nearly purple and trembling. He looked at me with cold, blank eyes. "I can't," he whispers back. "I don't know how". I immediately understood. He has powerful control of his body, so when he commands it to stay awake, it forgets how to sleep. It happened to me once. I knew I had to make him relax and calm down, only then would he be able to relax.

"Come on; let's get those wounds cleaned up. We can't let them get infected," I said. I took his hand gently and took out the water bottle from my pouch. Gently massaging his slender hand, I willed him to calm down and relax his tensed body. I smiled a little when I saw his eyes droop ever so slowly. I silently pour water over the back of his hand, cleansing the blood stained wounds. As I moved, my brother relaxed with me. I wrapped the wounds in long bandages, gently but tightly. I put his blood stained kunai back into his pouch.

With some brotherly telepathic thingy, we headed out. We didn't wander far, still at the open mouth of the cave. We stopped and he turns to me. Then, with his eyes already closed, he leaned forward and rested his head on my right shoulder. We didn't rock, we didn't sway; we just stood. We are Uchihas, we don't go with the flow. My left hand caresses his right hip, tracing random patterns just like I did to his legs. "We committed the act of incest," he suddenly whispers.

And strangely, there was no shame, only acknowledgement. But I had to consider how my aniki would feel, too. "I'm sorry, aniki".

I could somehow feel him smirking. "Are you really?" he taunts.

Thinking, thinking, thinking aaannnndddd……. "No, not really," I admit.

He nuzzled into the crook of my neck. "I thought so. I heard that it's wrong. Society looks down upon it," he whispered.

"But what do _we_ care?" I said. "You never cared what people think. I never cared to notice the people, so what's the problem?" My left hand continued to massage his hip. I knew he was close to going to sleep… … … or falling unconscious, whichever one.

"The problem is that I don't remember who you are, you're supposed to want to kill me and I'm a criminal. Would you like me to go on?"

"No," I sulked, but I knew he was just teasing, shockingly. "Go to sleep aniki. I'll keep watch".

My instinct tingled and I was able to get us out of the way. A kunai whizzed pass us, barely missing our heads. I let my aniki go and was about to run in and wake the others, when an explosion went off. Large chunks of earth fell into the mouth of the cave, blocking the way. I ran off into the forest, where there'll be more ground to fight. From the corners of my eyes, I saw my aniki doing sets of black flips up the wall of the cave. I turned just in time to evade a kick. With no problem, I took the older man head on. He was a taijutsu specialist, just like Gai and Lee.

I heard Naruto's voice from behind me. I also heard sounds of rocks falling. "Rasengan!" I heard. I felt my shoulder lift a little; they were alright.

I couldn't help but be a little curious. "How'd you track us down?" I grunted. The older man paused, surprised that I'd actually talk to him. Then he resumed with his onslaught.

"We didn't," he grunted. "We were just passing by, and then we saw you". However, we both knew that he and his team weren't just _passing by_. But that was all I needed to know. These guys don't know that we had something of theirs, so that wasn't what they were after. So then, why would they confront us? Surely they would've recognised two Uchihas in the same area.

Then, as realisation dawned on me, my eyes widened.

I ignored the ninja in front of me and turned. This man was just a decoy. I turned just as I heard a loud crack. There wasn't just one crack, but rather two, but they sounded so close to each other that they sounded like one big crack. With my eyes wide and terrified, I let my sight trace up and up the cliff of the cave. There, nearly at the top, was a large Iwa nin. His size was nearly like the Akamichis, but with more muscle. His arms were positioned as if he just batted something. Both his hands were in a position that looked like he was praying.

And there, small and falling fast was my beloved. His eyes were wide opened, clouded with pain far beyond words, but his face was blank, and it didn't take me long to realise that he was no longer conscious. But I guess, if he had been conscious, that Iwa nin would never have been able to touch him. He must've fallen unconscious way before that nin got there, when he was still on my shoulder. That means, he did those flips out of pure instinct.

"'Tachi!" the dobe's voice woke me up.

The nin in front of me smirked. "A war isn't a place for kids, kid," he taunts. It didn't get through to me. I was staring at the round crater made upon aniki's impact. This was a genjutsu, this whole mission was just another genjutsu, nothing's real. Aniki isn't hurt; he's just resting, or teasing me, like he always does. Soon he'll get up and smirk at me, enjoying my torture like he always does. He'll chuckle quietly as I twitch, annoyed at his jokes.

But I can't lie to myself. Aniki didn't get up, he didn't chuckle and he didn't look at me. I watched the world through hazed eyes. I watched as Naruto ran towards Itachi, only to be distracted and engaged in a fight against the man who just fought me. I watched as the nin at the base of the cliff threw kunais after shurikens to keep Shino and Shikamaru occupied. They wouldn't be able to escape the hole Naruto made like that.

Then, with freezing heart, I watched as the massive Iwa nin threw Itachi onto his shoulder. He took off, throwing me a winning grin. He left his team-mates behind to give himself time.

"Damn it, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled. He turned to me with bloody red eyes, fangs bared. "What's wrong with you? Go after them!" But that whole sentence had a prize. Naruto payed for it with s stab in the stomach. He of course, payed that wound no attention. He probably didn't even feel it.

With shaky steps and a denying mind, I followed. The sight of my brother's pained filled eyes wouldn't leave my mind. I was in shock. Stuff like this shouldn't affect me. Yet somehow, my brother became my one weakness. I searched, desperate now. The large man couldn't have gotten far with his size and aniki. But I can't find them anywhere. Then I saw _it_. A seal, very small and almost unnoticeable. It was drawn up in blood and was messy.

With shaky hands, I drew it up in a scroll. I knew I wouldn't be able to find my aniki. My head kept spinning, I can't think straight. But I had to be rational. I can't let my emotions get the better of me. I'll bring the seal back to Konoha, I'll study it and I'll get my aniki back.

I went back to the cave. The nin I fought lay on the ground, dead. The other wasn't anywhere in sight. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes when he saw me. "You okay, Uchiha?" he asked. He looked like he saw something. I wonder what I look like to them.

"It doesn't matter," I mumbled. "I'll bring it back, I'll study it and I'll find him. Ha, that's a good plan, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

I ignored them. "I'll look at it, I'll find out what it means. Ha, he can't get away from me; I'll hunt him down and bring him back. It's a good plan, isn't it? I know, I know. I'm a genius, I'll find him! I'll bring him back to me. He's mine!" I started when someone yelled.

"Damn! He's in shock. We'll have to knock him out before he gets hurt".

Just before the darkness got to me, my heart skipped a beat when I heard a pained yell.

It wasn't when I calmed in my mind that I realised that the yell belonged to me.

* * *

AH! I'm so excited.  
I really can't wait for the next chapter, even though I'll be the one writting it.

_Spoiler:::_ don't worry. This kidnapping is just some revenge actions. It's also to help my plot to flow.  
After all, how do you expect Itachi to be able to get pregnant, hm?

Next chapter is from Itachi's point of View. FINALLY!.

Do enjoy, and please, the review botton isn't far.


	13. Chapter 12

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

_Sorry, Itachi might be a little out of character, but that's because I've been doing things from Sasuke's P.O.V, so a dramatic change would be difficult. _

Shame

So much pain… … well, there isn't that much actually. But I was expecting it. Considering what I last remembered, I had every right to be. We were attacked at the cave, and then I think I fell asleep. So here I am, in a cell tied up to the ceiling. There was absolutely no doubt that I was in Iwa, again. But that didn't really matter. All that clouded my mind was if otouto was here. I knew I couldn't do much, but my brother came before anything else.

I wasn't able to remember him, no matter how much I tried. But even without the memories to guide me, my feelings were the strongest around him. Especially on that gloomy day, when I first woke up and he was god that stood over me. Nasty as he was to me, he was everything that I had. Then came along the others, loud and clear. There was no doubt that I felt out of place around them. I didn't feel like I belonged.

"He's woken up, sir," I heard.

I wonder how I got here. More specifically, how they managed to beat me.

I stood still, watching curiously as the taller man stepped into my cell. I knew it was very dangerous; to let my curiosity overwhelmed me. But many times before, my curiosity had saved me plenty.

Ah, so he is the famous Tsuchikage.

I started out of my thoughts when he grabbed my face, forcing me to look at his hideous face. Well, it was hideous to me after I've spent time with my otouto. Anything that is not Sasuke or Naruto-kun is ugly. The man stared at me with so much hatred that I was reminded of those days when otouto loathed me. It hurts more than I'll ever admit when otouto abused me. He was the first one I woke up to, the one I trusted the most, then he'd turned around and strangle me. That had been very painful.

"Uchiha Itachi," he sneered. "It's nice to finally meet you".

Silence is golden.

"Giving me the silent treatment, huh? How adorable. But that wont get you out of what's to come".

This is where I just had to comment. "Are you sure? My brother promised to kill me, now look at him; I have him wrapped around my finger so tight he'll die for me," I taunt. I made sure that the comment sounded like I didn't care, but really, my brother was just so adorable.

"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow. "Hm, but for someone with your beauty, that is not very surprising, is it?"

It was time to stop joking around. My loyalty lies in Konoha now, no matter where it was before. "Why have you captured me?" I hissed. I didn't need to tell him that I had amnesia. I carefully felt around for my chakra, but to my horror, there was none. My chakra network was completely drained.

He let go of my face. Then he started to pace around the cell.

"That is an interesting answer indeed. You see, at first I was simply going to kill you with my bare hands. I'm sure you know why, my uncle was very close to me. When you committed that crime, it was the perfect trigger to start this war. I've been planning this war for so long, that it was starting to get dull, but then you came along," he paused, waiting for the information to sink in. My brother hadn't mentioned any of this. He didn't mention that this war started because of me. Foolish otouto, what did he expect to gain from this?

"Don't blame yourself, kid. It was going to start sooner or later, you just made it sooner," good to know.

"And what do you plan to do to me, now?"

"Good, good, you're paying attention, boy. You see," no, "a few years prior, my most trusted medic accidentally created a chemical that made him… … woozy. He was… homosexual, so the next day, after he made love with his lover, he found something ... interesting. And what a lovely baby boy that he had".

My eyes widened. I absolutely refuse to acknowledge where this is going. My brother will come for me, I know he will. He wouldn't let me be used as an experiment like this. He… he wouldn't. Sasuke will come.

"But then a thought hit me after that incident. What if this village had its own Sharingan user? Imagine the raw power, the raw sense of victory! But I needed the Sharingan for this war. It would take years upon years just to get you pregnant and for the baby to grow strong. And so, we experimented around for a bit. And we came up with the perfect solution. I'm sure you'll see it soon enough".

I watched, horrified, as he walked out the door, beckoning to the guards. They both came to my side, undoing the chain and dragging me out. I knew I should move, to just do something, but I was shocked. My stomach churned at the thought of what's to happen next. And now I wonder, had I done so much wrong in my life that I'd be fated with this? I knew without a doubt that I was a criminal, a killer and a murderer…… and now, Karma was coming back to me.

"You… you can't impregnate a man, you're out of your mind," I whispered at his back. Out of pure body instinct, my body refused to show weakness. What control I … … no longer have. Most people should have trouble not showing their emotions… I, on the other hand, had to put a lot of effort to just smile.

"Don't be like that, now. Be happy that you'll be such a big part in wiping out Konoha. Think about it; in a few decades, there'll be an army of beautiful Sharingan users, and you'll be their mother. They'll love you, like all babies love their mother".

"You're insane. Power and war has corrupted you. You're not a man any longer. How could you possibly think of defying nature like this?" I hissed. I knew, even if I don't have the Sharingan, that I was a master of it. Otouto lied to me; he said I didn't have the Sharingan. But this man wouldn't want to go through with his plan if he wasn't sure that I had the Sharingan.

He barked out a loud laugh. "Haha! Boy, what would you know of what nature intends? You don't even remember nature," he sneered.

My eyes widened. "How long?" I demanded.

He smirked over his shoulder at me. "From the moment you woke up. You acknowledged me, but you didn't _recognise_ me. When you were twelve," he said. I perked up, eager at the chance to hear of who I was. "You were assigned as a peace keeper. One of our best shinobi went to your village, and you came to ours. You walked these exact same halls, inspecting our village as we inspect yours. You were such a tiny little kid back then, that's probably why my shinobi didn't suspect you of being the killer that you were. You met me once. You don't seem to be the type to forget that easily either, so it's only natural that I suspect that you have amnesia. And since you just asked how long, I was right".

I winced. Shame; how I imagine my old self sneering at me in disgust. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I could just see the old Itachi jeering and sneering in disgust, furious that I'd let his pride go down the drain like this. I knew I wasn't the man I was then, I could just feel it. When I first woke up, there was this raw power hidden in me, power that I no longer have control of. To me, the old Itachi was a god in my eyes.

We stopped at door, filled with many strange seals. Dread nibbled at my stomach. It was not unseemlier to the dread just before the war started. Only, this wasn't going to start the war, but rather, end it. If somehow, his crazy plan worked, I will end this war, starting with Konoha.

I planted my feet into the ground as hard as I could, stilling my muscles and joints. I cannot remember, but I refuse to be powerless. The two guards at my side grunted from the effort. I strained from my own effort, but it was two against one. With agitated moves, they hoisted my up and off the ground, throwing my like a rag doll onto the hard, large steel bench. One of the larger nin in a white cloak strapped me down. But he payed a prize; a broken nose that'll leave him out of the action for the rest of the night. I felt a little smug; if only I could do that to the other four guys in white coats.

"Stay still little boy, this'll only take a few minutes. I can't say anything about the pain, though," the Tsuchikage said.

I panted, giving up on trying to break free. I banged my head back onto the hard bench, hoping to black out and wake up somewhere else.

"You'll never live long enough to see your little army," I curse. "My brother will destroy you first, and then he'll maim you and feed you to wild animals. Then I'll follow you to hell and do it all over again". I was slightly disturbed by how calm I sounded; calm and cold.

"Watch your language," he muttered. "I don't want my first soldier cursing around so much".

He turned and left without another word. The three remaining medic nins closed in on me. The only woman, with short, stubby hair, ripped my clothes off with a chakra scalpel. Together, they loomed over me with a swirling red liquid in a needle. I closed my eyes tightly together, willing my breath to slow and even out. This wasn't supposed to happen. I don't remember the world as it should be, I don't know anything. I have no idea how they're doing this, it wasn't in any of the books that I've read. I don't know how to get out of this situation; I've never been in it before.

Oh, how the real Uchiha Itachi would be so ashamed of me. I'm nothing, I'm just a shadow of the god that Itachi was. I'm an unwanted guess whom he left for a little vacation. He'll be back; he'll regain control of his own body and shake his head in shame at my behaviour. Once he remembers again, he'll think back on how weak I had been and curse me, willing me to never come back and embarrass him ever again.

"_Don't worry aniki. I won't let anything take you away from me; I've just gotten you back, after all"._ Otouto? I… I hear him, where is he?

Beside me, I heard an annoying beat that sounded with my heart. My skin tingled with the coldness that came with helplessness. The cold bench bit coldly into the backside of my body. The thinner and colder metal strap bit at my wrists and ankles, bruising them ever so slowly. I hissed when something so much colder was rubbed on my stomach, just between my belly-button and my penis. I knew what was to come next, so my struggle went onto another level. My struggling was no longer on human scale, but rather, more animalistic. On raw instinct, with my eyes closed tight, I struggled. I roared and yelled; I writhed and wriggled.

"Damn it! Hold him down!" The woman yelled. The other two medics held me down, one on the left side and the other on the other side. I heaved as they pressed me onto the cold bench.

And I could only hold my tears in as the cold needle penetrated me, pushing something in me that doesn't belong.

"_Nothing will separate us, aniki. I've hunted you down my whole life; I'm not letting you go that easily"._ Otouto, aniki needs you, where are you? Where are you, my love? Why are you not here, holding me?

"Give him the pain killer," the woman commanded. But it was far too late.

I opened my mouth and arched my back off the bench, letting out a silent scream. No instinct or body control could stop me. The pain was excruciating, agonising, unbearable and all those other words. I felt another needle penetrate my skin; the painkiller. My throat contracted, begging me to just let out s scream. And I obeyed. My scream was like nothing I've ever heard before, because I have never screamed… not that I could remember. But I wasn't able to stop like I intended. I continued to scream and scream. I felt something push inside of me, in my stomach. It was something that only a woman should have. In me, it was something that wasn't meant to be there, something that forced it's way into me without my permission. It grew bigger and bigger, forcing my other organs to make way for it.

And then, as if by some miracle, it all came to a stop. The pain disappeared and my back thumped back onto the bench. The room was silent; the only sounds were my heaving and the beat of my heart. And as my heart slowed, so did the hope of my otouto coming to rescue me. Sweat dripped from me like waterfalls as my muscles cramped up from exertion. And as I lay there, reality started to sink in. Dread and shame filled me. I was no longer human. I've defied nature, defied mankind. I was a freak of nature, nothing that was meant to be of this world.

So when I felt another larger hand soothing my hair, I welcomed it. My precious Sasuke slowly faded from me, fading into the darkest corners of my mind, the part where the real Itachi belonged; the part where I was not.

When I felt the hand that was soothing my hair still, I dreaded waking up. Reality was not my favourite thing in the world. And there, in the pit of my stomach, was a throbbing. It wasn't a throb of something alive, not yet, but rather, a throb of my heart sending blood to a place that wasn't there before.

"Ah, good, you're awake". I slowly turned my head. A man… no, a _boy_ stood next to the bench. He looked no older than fifteen years old.

"Who are you?" I croaked. How embarrassing.

He smirked. "No one, but if you really must know; I'm your future husband. I was reluctant at first, about having sex with a stranger. When I first heard your name, I immediately thought of someone who looked just like a weasel, but now that I see you, I don't mind so much. You're really handsome; our babies will be really cute".

I stared with wide, horrified eyes at the strange boy in front of me. How could a boy be thinking of such things already? But an even bigger picture took over my mind and the panic from before came back up. I tried to move, but the metal strap held me in place. Pain and fear that I've never felt before bubbled up in my chest. The heart monitor sped up, keeping up with my heart. It got even faster when he continues to stroke my hair.

"Don't worry, it'll feel good, I promise," he cooed.

I needed a plan. I need a good plan that'll get me as far away from here as possible. And in order to come up with a plan, I need to delay whatever he is panning to do to me. And at the same time, I must find out about this syndrome as much as I can. So I did the next best thing; I acted. With my unreadable eyes and face, I could act as if the world didn't matter to me. I have to act; I have to act as if my life depended on it, because… … frankly, it does. Deception, oh how the mighty has fallen.

He sat beside me on the bench, running his hand softly down my chest. I unconsciously reacted to the only source of heat. "Wait," I softly pleaded. "Why did they choose you?"

He paused, if only for a second. "To increase the rate of success, of course". He looked at my _curious_ face. He brought his hand back up to my face, stroking my cheek ever so gently; like a lover would. "I am just like what we're about to create together. Both my parents are male," he explained.

I let my horrified eyes roam his body; so it can really happen. "But the Tsuchikage said the incident happened only a few years prior. You don't look like you're only a few years old," I mumbled. I fight the instinct to turn my head away from his warm touch.

"Ah, I should probably tell you everything, shouldn't I?" he muttered. He shifted to get more comfortable. "You see, this syndrome messes up almost everything. As you've probably figured out, you were given a womb," he paused when I accidentally let out s weak sob. "That was probably the most painful process. After that, you would obviously need another's DNA. But, the baby wouldn't survive, being inbreeded like that. Plus, with the current circumstances, we need the baby to grow into a warrior fast. So my dad developed some kind of chemical that would affect the baby's growth," he gave another pause, waiting for me to catch my breath. Sweat covered my skin as I shivered in terror. Monster, they're all monsters.

"You see, I'm really only five years old, despite my appearance. That's what the chemical does. It speeds up the growing process, including the mind, the body, and even the soul. This thing works outside of time and nature".

I finally found my voice, plus, a plan was slowly coming to me; I needed more time. "But, wouldn't that let the… baby live for half the time a human does?" I asked. I was relief when my voice sounded calm and collected. I'm starting to think that it'll take more effort for me to talk with a tone in my voice.

"Yeah," he grinned. "That's the **best** part. Our bodies' age until it looks like it's about eighteen or nineteen, then it stays that way for the next eighty-two years… unless we get killed before that. Of course, the pregnancy still takes up nine months, at least. From the moment we're born, we have the mind of an adult".

Just a little bit more time, I knew I could do it. "And… how do I get rid of the womb?" I felt utter disgust just saying that word.

"Cant. It's in there and it'll stay there," he was about to say more, but I had everything ready.

"Sharingan!" I yelled. I watched as the boy before me flinched.

I cast a simple genjutsu over him, only enough for him to stay still. With my chakra finally returned to me, I directed it to my wrists, breaking free. But the metal strap was able to scratch my wrists, blood gushes out. I repeated the same action to my legs. I stood at the end of the bench, relishing in my freedom. I switched my mission mode on, forgetting about my freedom for the moment. Looking around, I gently took the boy's shirt off him. It was a simple T-shirt that was somehow bigger than my size. The sleeves hung at my elbow and the end hung at my thigh. I supposed that was enough, I didn't want to injure the boy's pride any further.

And so, hiding my chakra signature, I fled the room containing the boy whose name I didn't know. I ran with the shadows, dodging the guards and the light source. Then came the problem that I've only read of in books. I had to choose whether I go left or right. And so, I also used a technique from the exact same book. I quickly licked my finger and held it up in the air. I did it to both tunnels. The right one seems to be the only one with a wind source. So I silently jogged down that tunnel… but half way there, I was grabbed from behind and lifted off the ground. The stranger covered my mouth with his larger hand and carried me with only one arm. My pride stopped me from kicking around. I had to be manly.

"Listen to me," the man hissed. "I'm going to get you out of here, so just stay still and be quiet". I wanted to refuse and shake my head, but he just sounded so much like otouto that I couldn't. With hope fluttering in my chest, I stayed still and be quiet. I let my otouto carry me with my back to him. We continued to run for hours, and I was starting to think that we're lost when wee suddenly were engulfed in clouds of smoke.

I gasped quietly, closing my eyes on instinct. Otouto gently put me back on to the ground, but his hands remain on me still. I turned; ready to finally see my brother after long, torturous days. But instead, I was met with a black and orange mask. With a startled yelp, I stumbled back. Surely my brother hadn't been eaten by a giant lollipop. But then, recognition dawned on me.

With a small smile, I stood straight again. "You're that nice man I met a long time ago. You helped me from a genjutsu, not that I needed the help or anything," I said.

The man seem to hesitate for a second. "Uh, yep! That's Tobi. Tobi's a good boy," I started again. I didn't remember his voice being this high in pitch. I suspiciously looked closer to him. My eyes widen.

"You have the Sharingan, are you an Uchiha?" I said. I managed to remain calm, even though I could barely control my excitement.

"Yep! But we should probably get out of here. Come on, Tobi knows the way perfectly," he then jumped onto a tree branch, keeping silent and stealthy. I followed, being wary of the overly large T-shirt flopping around. After all, I didn't want to run around the forest naked, now would I?

**Madara's P.O.V**

I made sure he stayed within my sight at all times. I know he feels me watching him, but I didn't care. This little being caused me so much trouble that I stopped caring ages ago. We are now in Amegakure; the Village Hidden in the Rain. We were crossing through there to get to Konoha. The rain fell heavily outside, creating a constant rhythm. I didn't know why I brought him here, but it was safer here. Pein had sensed me coming with him, but I knew he would keep quiet. Itachi wasn't of the Akatsuki any more, and because of that, he's my responsibility.

I stared as he stared. He was fascinated with the rain… and I was fascinated with his fascination. Pein and I knew he had a case of amnesia, but to actually see it, which was disturbing. He didn't look at us with distrust and indifference anymore. Before, when we did the tango of manipulation, he'd look at me with eyes that wouldn't see me. I had taken on the challenge of trying to manipulate him, while he was manipulating his brother. But he wasn't of the Akatsuki anymore, so I had no idea why I bothered to save him.

But I supposed it had something to do with the fact that I was never able to completely control him. That's right; I'm only saving him because I have to win. There's no point with trying if he's already dead. I'll send him to that cursed village, Konoha, where he will be safe and slowly remember. Only then, will we be able to continue our dance together.

I started out of my thoughts when a finger tapped my shoulder. "Do you have anything for me to wear?" I heard.

I glance him up and down… and up and down… and again. He sported a large, dark green T-shirt that hung just at his mid thigh. Heat swirled at the pit of my stomach as I stared at his legs. And I was so damn glad I had a mask… … … because that's a lot of drool. I contemplated; I've never seen his bare legs before, so it came as a surprise that I find that he was hairless. Slowly, from his feet, I traced my hungry gaze upwards. I gulped; they were perfectly curved, not too feminine, but hugged with toned, slender muscles. They were legs of a silent killer. Amazing, it's really amazing how worked up I get over a pair of legs.

But… to let him wear something over that? No way in hell.

"Ne, sorry Itachi-san, Tobi doesn't have anything else. Tobi's really, really sorry, but Tobi promises that Tobi's a good boy," I wailed. Being Tobi takes so much energy. It's a real wonder how I'm still alive.

"Oh," he sighed, before heading back to staring at the rain.

I huffed. He should be paying attention to _me_. I'm the one who's the merciless killer, not the damn rain. But just as the rain outside fell freely from the sky, my body moved freely on its own. Then, I find myself standing over his hunched over form. I snatched his chin from his palm and held it in my own. And as I stared at the dark beauty, thing started to dawn on me.

It's been so long since I last saw those pairs of eyes. They stare back at me, curious and tense. Dazed, I find myself losing my way in the depthless abyss. They were beautiful, accompanied by long, dark lashes. There was no recognition, only acknowledgment. The lethal weapon that I created stared back at me, curious and almost innocent. And I knew then, that this was not my Itachi. Almost as if he burned, I snatched my hand away.

He wasn't my Itachi. My Itachi was strong, clever, deadly, mysterious and all other things that made him a god. But this Itachi was just a shadow. He was just a black outline that hid the god that my Itachi was. This was Sasuke's Itachi.

But then, Uchiha Itachi was never mine to begin with. All along, his heart had been with the youngest Uchiha.

"Uh, come on, Tobi will lead Itachi-san to his home," I said. I watched begrudgingly as his eyes brighten ever so slightly. He got up, keeping his face cold and blank. I hopped out of the room with him behind me. God, being Tobi was so damn tiring.

Without a warning, I grabbed his hand and teleported us outside, into the pouring rain. Through our little connection, I felt him shiver, if only a little. Without a word, we set out for our journey. Guilt nipped at me a little. Kisame has been worried for his small partner; it would only be fair that he gets to see him, but I'll tell him Itachi's fine.

In Ame, we can't hop on the tree braches. Trees in this country are very tall, but very thin. There were hardly any branches to hop on, and if there were, they would break on contact. We sprinted through the rain and the mud. From the corners of my only eye, I saw mud gather at Itachi's bare legs.

And I smirk. Somebody's a dirty boy.

Then I remembered that I was Tobi, so I filled the silence with pointless, _pointless_ nonsense. Hell, even I'm annoyed with myself. I wouldn't mind if Itachi decided to knock me, just so I can stop. But instead, he listened, curious. I must have said something, because he suddenly perked up.

"I was… with you?" he asked.

Without stopping, I replied. "Sure, Itachi-san. You were in a group, called Akatsuki. Tobi's in it too. This," I gestured to my cloak, "is our uniform. We also wear purple nail polish".

"Otouto told me you were our enemy. He said you were trying to hurt Naruto-kun and I.I don't understand why you are helping me".

"Ne, the others don't know. Tobi's helping because Tobi really likes Itachi-san. Tobi knows Itachi-san doesn't remember Tobi, but Tobi won't give up!" I yelled.

"I was a criminal," he mumbled. "But, I'm not like that now. My loyalty lies within Konoha; there is nothing you can do to bring me back to the Akatsuki".

I feign hurt. "Tobi isn't trying to, not yet anyways. Tobi just wants to get Itachi-san back, so Itachi-san can remember again",

After that, we travelled in silence. We travelled all day long, only stopping once for food. Well, we stopped a lot, actually. Itachi was just so curious about everything. I took him back to the cave, where he was captured. I saw that because… … I was practising the art of stalking. But that's beside the point. "Tobi can't go further than this," I chirped. "Tobi guess this is goodbye".

He stopped shivering and turned to me. His eyes were tired looking and his lips were nearly blue. His gaze almost looks sad, in a way. He led me into the cave, where it was slightly warmer. I almost feel guilty for making him endure the cold… just for the sake of my perverted desires. He turned to me again, this time not shivering. I admit the boy was good for just a shadow of what he once was.

"I want to know," he whispered. "Tell me everything".

"Waa? But, everything's a lot, don't you know that?" I made sure to keep my voice in a high pitch.

I saw him twitch. "Well, just tell me what you can about me," he demanded. What a brat. What a spoiled, dirty, sexy brat.

"Fine," I huffed. "Hmm, Itachi-san joined Akatsuki when he was thirteen. And, and Kisame-san was Itachi-san's partner. Akatsuki works in pairs". And I continued to tell him things; things that were not important at all. He listened as if it all were a story and he was the child. But there was one thing I didn't mention. I made sure to keep out details about his massacre.

I am the only person outside the council who knew the reason why Itachi killed his family. The old fools wouldn't say anything; they'll take the secret to their graves. I, on the other hand, am free to tell anyone. And it made me feel good, in a way, that Itachi's one most important memory was with me. But I knew who this piece of information belonged to; Sasuke. Despite it being with me for now, it was meant to be told to Sasuke. That stupid brat had everything.

But, I suppose, I'll tell him one day, just to see his reaction.

But for now, I'll cherish what I have of Itachi's that no one else has.

It was night, and it was time to go.

"Ne, Itachi-san, Tobi has to go. It's getting _pretty_ dark and Tobi doesn't like the dark, unless he's cuddling with _someone_," ha, I really couldn't help that last comment.

He stood up, giving me a good view of his pale legs. Then he trotted over to me, where I stood against the wall. Looking up at me, if only slightly, he stared into my one eye. "Thankyou," he said, "for helping me escape. I hope we meet again". Well, that did the trick.

I slowly let Tobi crumble. I grabbed his bony shoulders tightly and switched our position. He now stood with his back against the wall, with me blocking his way out. Using our height advantage, I loomed over him, like The Big Bad himself. The happy aura around me was no longer there, now it was the aura that only _I_ can have. "Are you sure you want to see me again?" I growled. "You don't understand, boy. I didn't just save you because I suddenly wanted to," I said, contradicting everything I've just said. "This is a one time thing, don't expect it again". I lean down so our faces were mere centimetres away from each other. "Messing with me, Itachi, is a big 'no, no'. You better hope you don't see me again, who knows what I might do then".

And yet, he looked at me without fear. What's wrong with this boy?

But I really had to go. The Akatsuki isn't going to run itself. I slowly let him go and step back. "It's been a wonderful dance," I said, "but it's time we move on to another dance, don't you think, little boy?" I sneered. I didn't wait for his reply. I teleported myself away.

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_**Warning: A little bit of yaoi. **_

With a humiliated sigh, I teleported my self back. Of course, how could I forget about the ring? And my big departure, it has to be something to remember. I startled him, if only a little. Without giving him time to rest, I roughly grab his thighs and hoisted them up and around my waist. I slammed him back against the wall of the cave and tightened my hold. I was pleased when he tightened his legs around me in order not to fall. With my mask magically gone, which wasn't magic at all if you think about it, I slammed my lips into his. And it was pure fuel on fire.

With a startled gasp, he slammed his palms against my chest. It didn't do much. He hasn't eaten in four days, he was powerless. It's a real wonder how he can still manage to stand. And while I distracted him with our heated kiss, my left hand slowly pulled at his ring; located on his right ring finger. I grunted when he pulled at my hair, trying to pull me off him. With one hand pulling at my hair, his other hand pounded against my chest, again and again. But he still strong, that's going to leave a bruise later.

Once I have his ring in my pocket, I let go. I stepped back and let him drop to the cold ground. He panted and glared up at me. I finally got why people are so scared of the Uchiha Glare. "Y-you… you," he stuttered, but he soon settled for just glaring. I licked my lips, tasting his taste. It's been ever so long. But I really, really had to go. Who knows what's being destroyed back at the hideout; what with Hidan and Deidara there.

I pulled off my cloak and gently dropped it on him, making sure to cover his exposed legs. Then I put my mask back on, which had been in my cloak all along. With Tobi's demeanour back on, I hoisted him up and took him to the back of the cave. There, I gently dropped him off; he'll be much safer in here.

"Tobi's a good boy!" I chirped, before disappearing again.

I wasn't very surprise to feel a little bit empty. Itachi was my pupil. I taught him everything he knew since he was eight. I helped him through thick and thin, mostly only the thin part. Then I watched him grow up, under my watching eyes. He wiped out his whole clan, something I failed to do decades ago.

And now, I'm watching him start a new chapter in his life. I knew it couldn't last long; he had a disease after all. If he can't remember having a disease, how could he cure it? Not that I'll let him die that easily.

I smirked behind my mask. That brat, Sasuke, may have everything I wanted, but I had something he wants so badly; the secret behind the massacre. The councils knew too, but it doesn't exist to them. To me, I can tell it whenever I want. That's something Sasuke doesn't have. He has his beloved brother, but I had all his memories.

"_Enjoy Konoha while you can, Itachi-san," I sang, "because Tobi's gonna burn it right to the ground"._

_I didn't know why I let him kiss me like that, and I didn't care to ponder on that too much. I went four days without food, only water. But even though I had to strength to push him off, I didn't do it whole heartedly. I let him kiss me, I let him touch me. He was a strange man who saved me, a man split in two, but a stranger nonetheless. But I supposed it's understandable. He sounds just like Sasuke, he looks just like Sasuke and his demeanour was just like Sasuke. It didn't come much as a surprised that I let him hold me. _

_And as I slowly drift off to an unknown conscience, my heart yearns for my brother. I wasn't sure if this is how normal brothers act to one another. But otouto said we were never normal brothers to begin with, so I suppose its okay. But I do wonder, what would otouto do to me once I remember again? _

_Just before I was able to escape reality, shame burned at me. I was not with child, thankfully, but I was able to _be_ with child. I knew, without a doubt, that men are not supposed to have a womb. And now I have one… a result of power hungry leaders of wars. This would probably limit the sexual activities in my life, not that I care or anything. With this war going on, the only need for sexual activities would be for stress relieving. Not that I'm going to do that or anything either._

_I finally drift to sleep; the feel of my new womb pulsing as my only lullaby. _

* * *

Alright, just to be clear; Itachi is not pregnant. This chapter is not supposed to be good or important at all. This chapter is just to help with my main plot; Mpreg. I can't just have Itachi be able to get pregnant randomly, can I?

This chapter is so that when Itachi does get pregnant, you guys don't go "What the hell? How is that possinle?" okay?

Next chapter is from Sasuke's point of view once again.

This chapter is alsos a clue on what might happen in the very distant future... with Madara and all.  
I bet you guys didn't see Madara's P.O.V coming, did you?

Anyways, do enjoy.

Please **Review**. I want to know what you guys think.


	14. Chapter 13

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of the anime/manga series Naruto.

**Reality**

"What's taking them so damn long?" I hissed.

My body shook with the effort of not jumping around like a certain idiot. My heart pounded heavily in my chest, threatening to break free from my ribcage. My eyelids threaten to consume my eyes, what with me having been up for two nights straight. And yet, despite my body's protest, the joy of the event prevailed.

Hyuuga Hinata and TenTen had gone out on a negotiating mission. Upon their return, Hinata had spotted my precious aniki, right where they took him. They had merely been passing around that area, when Hinata's byakuugan picked up a small chakra signature from the cave. With very little troubles, the girls brought my aniki home.

I will forever be indebt to those two girls.

My only regret is that I was completely useless.

I let him get taken away and I still wasn't the one to rescue him.

A deep ache attacked my heart.

And underneath it all, there was the slight suspicion. Itachi had been carried into the hospital… wearing an Akatsuki cloak. He had been covered in dirt and rain, wearing nothing but an overly large T-shirt and the cloak. His hair had been loose and messy and his skin lost what little colour it had before. But I couldn't be too sure; I wasn't there at the time.

The Hokage had personally come and taken care of the medical procedures for my aniki. The Uchiha household are now together once again. Juugo had taken the day off from the academy and Suigetsu was given a break from the frontline. And for the first time since I've met him, Suigetsu wasn't babbling on and on about killing people. And I knew; time at the front line was worse.

"Obaa-chan, obaa-chan!" the dobe yelled. "H-how is he? How's 'Tachi?"

The older-than-she-looks lady twitched, massaging her eyebrows. And I really have to wonder when she was going to retire. "I swear, you kids bring me more headaches everyday," she muttered. But my keen eyes picked up the traces of troubles; she was trying to hide something. "He's doing fine, just resting. I suspect he'll be out of it for a few more days. Other than that, he's just depleted of chakra and will be very hungry when he wakes up… again."

"You mean he was awake?" I asked, almost sounding desperate.

"He was, but not anymore," she answered.

"Aw, my poor baby," Karin moaned. She took her glasses off and cleaned them, before putting them back on again.

"But… why was he wearing that cloak?" Naruto said.

The last remaining Sannin sighed. "He wasn't awake long enough for me to find out."

But that was the last thing I heard. Swiftly and quietly, I made my way away from the small group and into the white room that contained my brother. My stomach churned as my eyes landed on him. He was still, very still, almost like a life sized doll. He was also very thin, his collarbones poking from under the heavy while blanket. His chest slowly moved up and down, almost as if he would stop that anytime soon. But… I have my aniki here again. That's all that matters.

And before I knew it, I was standing at the bed's side, with my hand slowly itching forward. But just before I touched him, I drew back, almost as if he burned. I was afraid, afraid that he would disappear and I would wake up once again. But most of all, I was afraid of touching him and breaking him; like I saw the Iwa-nin do when he was captured. I'd seen how easily he was broken.

'_But, when you think about it, he's the one who killed hundreds of __**Uchihas**__,_' Temari's voice said. Funny, I haven't heard from her in a while.

With reality finally sinking into my skull, I reached forward once more. Bolts upon bolts of strange emotions shot through my being. But he wasn't just a dream or a hallucination. He was real, his skin was soft and frail under my touch and the sound of his soft breathing sounded in my ears.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not going to strangle him," I said.

"Yeah, I know," the dobe replied.

We spent the rest of the day like that. We just looked at Itachi, taking hours to finally grasp that he was real. And I admit, even the ANBU missed him. Without him, they were just doing their normal, boring jobs… despite the war.

"You're regretting something," the dobe finally said.

And I finally snapped. The pressure of the war was enough to deal with. Then came along the pressure of rebuilding my clan again. Those two old buffoons were really troublesome. If I could only reach out and snapped their frail necks, then everything else will be alright. If I could only…

Really, what the hell was I thinking when I said that restoring my clan was one of my ambitions? I don't even like women, well, not now that Itachi's here. "Yeah," I whisper. "What would he think, when he wakes up? I promised him that we'd never be separated, and then I let them take him right from under my nose. And even then, I wasn't even the one to bring him back." I tilted my head back, looking at the plain ceiling. "I'm useless to him, Naruto. He has amnesia, and even then, he's still stronger than I will ever be. He's a god… and I'm just kid trying to appear important."

The dobe squinted and crossed his arms, nodding to nothing in particular. "Uhuh, uhuh… yep. It seems like you brooding again, teme," he concluded.

What the hell? For a second there, I thought he'd give me a smart answer, like last time. Damn dobe and his stupid nodding.

I twitched when he turned to me. For the first time since I got back, I saw him smirk. He'd always be grinning or smiling, but never smirking. "Come one, teme. You can sit there and brood all you want and we'll see what 'Tachi thinks of you _**then**_. _**I**_, on the other hand, will be training, so nothing like this happens ever again. He's gonna need someone strong and handsome by his side… and I'm just the guy for it. So, you ca just go along and brood while I take you brother out on a date."

This is probably the reason why I hate him so damn much. Him? Plus Itachi? On a date? Yeah… over my dead body.

"You wish, dumb-ass," I rolled my eyes.

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I yawned once more. The others have gone home, not because they were tired, but because I kicked them out. They were just too damn loud. I refused to get out of the room, not even when they were checking up on him and other boring things. I brooded for a little longer. Then I stopped. I knew the dobe was right, I can't brood forever. I have to get stronger. Nothing like this can happen ever again, I won't allow it.

I looked at his serene face, taking in the pale skin and the long strands of hair. I remembered the last time I saw them up close. No, I remember further than that, back to our last mission. When we lost control and made out… right in front of Shino. That… had been very awkward. It was wrong. I can feel it in every bone of my body. Incest was looked down upon and cast away. It was wrong, it was disgusting, it was forbidden and it was absolutely wonderful.

I was tired of going by what society wanted. We were never normal bro- SLAP!

I jerked violently and jumped up, looking around. My left cheek stung badly. My eyes landed on the small hand that was still raised, ready for a backhand. I met the eyes of the owner, wide and surprised. "I can't believe it actually worked," mumbled. "So the book was right."

I tried, I really, really tried. I tried very hard to stay mad, but seriously, it was very hard. "You could've just called my name," I snapped. My eyes, however, instantly softened, looking at my beloved adoringly. "How are you… feeling, aniki? Are you hurt?"

He rolled his eyes and blew a strand of hair from his eyes. "Of course I, being the god that you worship so much, am doing just fine. I'm sure the pain will pass along soon enough," he said. The worry never left my eyes. My brother was a very good liar, I knew that much. He wasn't taking me seriously. He probably thinks that this happens on a daily basis. And yet, I wasn't satisfied with his answer. My heart still aches.

I reached my hand out and took one of his. Silently, I gently placed it over my heart, where it was beating steadily yet painfully. My older brother looked on, eyes filled with cold curiosity. There, when his hand made contact with my clothed chest, everything else in the world didn't matter. In my jumbled mind, there was just I and he… him and I. There was a soft heartbeat, though I wasn't sure whose it belonged to. I stared at his pale face. He seemed mesmerised, tilting his head to the side and concentrating purely on my heartbeat.

I gripped his small hand tighter. "It hurts," I whisper to him. His eyes widened ever so slightly. I gave a bitter smile. He was still so cold and just as hard to read. He was still something out of my reach. "When you were gone, I couldn't feel it, I couldn't hear it. I think… you might've taken it away with you." I sighed softly and, with my other hand, brought his head in closer. Our foreheads touched, our eyes never leaving the other identical ones. "I can feel it now, but it still hurts."

Our heads dipped in, as if to kiss, then we would pull back at the last second. It was a dance… and neither of us planned on finishing up. "It hurts aniki. It hurts when you go away. Why," I hissed. "Why do you like torturing me so much?" My hand tightened over his hand that was still over my aching heart.

"Because," he whispered back, dipping his head in once more… just to tease me with something that I'll never have. "It feels good," I stare at him in horror. Does he, somehow, even if he no longer remembers, still hate me inside? "It feels good, to know that when I go away, someone still misses me, that someone is still trying to get me back. Though, otouto, it would've been better if you had been the one to find me," he said. Relief and embarrassment laughed at me. I dipped my head in again, and again, he moved just out of my reach.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry you sadistic bastard," I said. I dipped in for one last try, but this time, he didn't move back. Our lips met in the cold air. It wasn't like the last time we… … kissed. We were not horny or desperate. The kiss was tender and soft. His hand was a cold sensation over my beating heart. Our eyes closed in synch as our lips danced. His lips were soft against mine. I carefully tasted him, being very careful and gentle. He slowly pulled away and my heart gave a small tug. Ouch.

With his eyes still closed, he gently laid his head on my chest, replacing his cold hand. "I like this sound," he whispers. Embarrassingly, my heart skipped beats and did acrobatics. He smirked knowingly, enjoying my humiliation. I rolled my eyes slightly and wrapped my arms around him, disturbed by how many bones I could feel through his gown.

Right, getting back to serious business. "Aniki, what did they do to you?"

He sighed tiredly. "Just the usual acts of torture and revenge, otouto. Nothing unusual."

I narrowed my eyes. "_Usual_?" I quoted. "Aniki, it's only usual if you've experienced it before… or remembered experiencing it." I hurriedly grabbed his chin and tilted his head back. "Do you remember aniki?"

"I'd say yes, but that would be lying." He pulled completely out of my reach and went back to lying down; the heart monitor modified his heartbeat. The back of my head suddenly felt too heavy; I needed my aniki back on my chest. I nearly, _**nearly**_ started throwing a tantrum just to get him back. Curse my big mouth for saying anything at all. "Otouto, the man was clearly blinded by his lost for his uncle. I just happen to be the cause. He was blinded by revenge that his actions barely hurt me."

"But, for a powerful leader to start a war just for that. What is he going to do now?"

He sighed again. "Ah, who knows? The mind of an avenger is awfully hard to read… almost as if they don't think at all…" he turned to me and smirked. "Hn, my apologies, I'd forgotten that you are one. I hope I offended you…"

Then, a memory of when he first came in the hospital flashed through my mind. "Why were you wearing an Akatsuki's cloak? Didn't I tell you they were dangerous? And… and… you were only in a T-shirt… did they… ra…" I swear that that could be the hardest word I ever had to say in my whole entire life.

"I honestly don't know how the cloak got there. They did try to rape me… and apparently," he gave me a spine chilling stare. I took a step back on pure instinct. "I have to Sharingan." He took a deep breath, ready for a long lecture. I knew, because our mother used to do the exact same thing. "What on earth were you thinking, otouto? Or were you thinking at all? Do you have any idea what this piece of information could have changed things?" he opened his mouth to say more, but decided not to. He stared out the window into the cloudy sky.

He's sulking… the Uchiha Itachi style.

I hesitantly got on the hospital bed, beside him. He wasn't pouting or giving me the cold shoulders. No, he was just staring out the window; expressionless. I laid on my side, facing him and wrapped my arm around his stomach, the other as my pillow. I really wanted to lay my head on his chest as I did once upon a time. But, I'm sure his chest would break from the slightest touches. I rubbed random patterns along his flat stomach.

Beneath my touch, he tensed. His heart sped up. I paid it no heed. I didn't know what pulsed; my palm or his stomach, but either way, I felt that my hand belonged there. He turned to face me, his collarbone showed as he turned. My eyes met with something that I normally wouldn't if he hadn't forgotten everything. Before, when I looked at his eyes, he would always seem like someone that knew me more than everyone else, someone that I was afraid of. But now, he was a complete stranger. I didn't know whether to be happy or disgusted. I didn't know whether to love this man or my brother.

'_They're one and the same, Naruto told you that already_'

"Stop thinking," he demanded. "Let us forget about all this and fight for the village. I will not be captured again… I won't" he said. Funny, for a second there, it almost sounded like he knew the consequences of being caught again.

But for his sake, I'll forget. "Alright, just don't sulk anymore."

"Hn."

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"Right……….," I drawled. "So… who the hell agreed to this again?"

"It's not for anyone to agree, Sasuke," Kakashi said… again. "A lot of our shinobi are dieing from the same type of poison that has the same type of cure. The strategists assigned us on this mission because there is a high chance that we might encounter enemies."

"Right… and what's the real reason we were assigned?"

"Because our names just happened to picked out of a very tall hat."

"Why do we need the Bushy-brows-twins?"

"Sasuke, that's not very nice. They're here to help," Kakashi replied. He stared at the two look-alikes in green spandex, before finally giving in. "Ugh, you're right. This is probably not a good idea."

But I guess that this is better than doing nothing. I narrowed my eyes as we sped along the treetops. My missions nowadays were getting more risky, and I knew, before long, that I would be fighting in the frontline. I wasn't worried about dieing; I knew I was stronger than them. I was more worried about Itachi. There's no way he'd allow me to go to the front line without coming along to protect me. The guy just doesn't understand the word self-interested. He has to learn to be more selfish. I mean, he's cruel, he's manipulative and he's beautiful, but all he does is worry about me. He doesn't show, but I can still see it in his eyes.

Along our travel to the Village Hidden in the Caves, we heard lots of explosions, but we've long ago learnt to ignore them. It was dangerously close to Otogakure, but that matters not. The main problem is finding the right herbs and not more poisons. I haven't been there yet, but a lot of people say that it's very easy to lose one's self in those caves. I don't even know what the heck that means.

Well damn; I miss my aniki.

"Yosh, with the power of youth, we shall arrive at our destination in approximately seven hours! Let the power of youth guide us!"

Dear lord, if my eardrums don't make it out of this, please listen to Itachi's heartbeat anyways.

But, despite their ridiculous noises and dances, the Bushy-brow twins were right. We travelled non-stop for seven hours. My eyes widened at the sight that greeted us. And I wasn't the only one shocked. Our head tilted up, up and up. The caves were absolutely huge. It was tall, very tall, and was shaped just like a pyramid. Only, the difference was, the many, many entrances lining the bottom. Despite the broad daylight, the caves were very dark, so it didn't matter if we entered at day or night.

We took a little rest and took a last look at the image of the herbs that we were to find. I made a move to get up and walk off to the looming caves, when my old sensei grabbed me and yanked me down. "What," I hissed. I didn't dare raise my voice; those caves echoed.

"Sasuke, there are stuff that you and Lee need to know before walking into those caves. We never thought that the younger generations would ever need to come in contact with this place, so we didn't find the need to tell," he stopped there, motioning for Gai to take over. Lazy old fart.

"We do not have time for the history part, so I shall inform you of the threats that exist. Number one, once we enter, there is no chance that we would not be lost. The caves move and change constantly, so losing our way is the only way to find what we need. Once we have enough, then must open the scrolls that was provided and follow its instructions. With the power of youth, we shall finish our mission safely!"

"Oh, Gai sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai sensei!"

"Lee!"

I know enough to turn away and head for the caves. Kakahsi followed me. No caves were going to keep me away from my Itachi.

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. "Sasuke," Kakashi said, turning me around. I knew right away that he was serious. "In order to survive that cave, you must have a clear mind."

"Why? Are there creatures?" I asked. What the hell was the big deal?

"No, the mind is the most dangerous weapon in this mission. And right now, you are a prey to yourself."

I narrowed my eyes, even though I knew he meant well. "A clear mind, I already have that."

"No, you don't," he countered. "Gai and I have noticed on our way here, Sasuke. Constantly, your mind would wander and go straight for Itachi. He's safe at home, protected and entertained by snotty nosed kids who think they are cool, which, by the way, they are not. I, on the other hand, am way cooler. I mean, I could do better job at entertaining Itachi. I could teach him to remember _love_."

Okay, I admit it. I actually took him seriously for the first half of his speech. And I also admit that my mind keeps slipping. No, no it hasn't. It hasn't been slipping, but rather, Itachi keeps mind-napping it. He's taken my thoughts as a hostage and when they escape, he pulls them right back. Possessive bastard.

"Hn," and with that, we went our own way. All of the others' chakra signatures immediately disappeared. The entrance that I walked through disappeared along with them. I took a step and cursed. No, this time I did not trip on an anthill. But rather, I stepped into a place that has water coming up to my hips. Luckily, there are no animals here. With my Sharingan on, I saw ahead, surprised that there was actually lights. They were actually mirror-like crystals, reflecting soft lights from the water and the holes from the caves. The water was cool and gentle, luring me to its depth. I rolled my eyes. Wow, its first attempt at seduction and the cave failed already.

I trotted awkwardly through the water, looking left and right for the troublesome herbs. Actually, it wasn't all the herbs' fault, but also, the poisoned nins' fault. Why did they have to be so unskilled and get nipped with poisonous kunais? They seriously need more training. The least they could do was heal at a faster pace like the dobe. He's lost count of how many times he's bee poisoned. He stopped counting after three hundred and seventeen times. Ha, he probably couldn't count any higher than that.

Right, right, gotta keep a clear mind.

Ah, what was it again? Gai said something about following… OH! Follow your instinct, that's what he said.

But, my instincts are sleeping… some are probably still hostage to Itachi. Oh, right, clear mind… god, I feel like the dobe. These are the kind of things he should be the one thinking about. Damn that weasel, too.

"Well, someone's head over heels in love… with his own brother, too."

I wasn't startled, nope, not at all. The deliciously soft voice did not creep me out. Definitely not, I was too great for that.

But, at the same time, it's probably my instinct. So I followed it; I followed the high-pitched, young, soft voice around the caves. The caves kind of reminded me of bee hives. Now and then, I'd hear Lee or Gai yell something about youth. But, as before, I learnt to ignore it. And then, as if like a tidal wave, what the voice said dawned to me.

I twitched. "I am not in love…," I hissed into the dimly lit caves. "… … with… with… **him**!"

I gracefully dodged around hard pillars and followed the voice that was talking nonsense. I don't even know what its saying anymore. I just listened. My slacks clutch onto my legs, clinging as if my legs were its dear life. I growled in annoyance. The sooner I can get out of this cave, the sooner I can go back to the village and curse Shikamaru for giving me this mission. Oh yeah, and then I can shower my aniki with kisses. He doesn't mind.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," I heard. I snapped my head up, looking for the beautiful voice. The voice of a child.

"Over here," it snapped at me, sounding awfully annoyed.

And I looked. Then I saw them. Standing in another section of the moving caves was a tall, blonde man. His piercing blue eyes stared back at me, looking awfully amused. His long, white cloak drifted softly, despite the caves having no wind. On his forehead was the Konoha hitai-ate, proudly shinning in what little light the caves have. Pressure built up in my ears, daring me to say a word.

"Hey."

My eyes shifted down to the black bundle in his arms. I immediately narrowed my eyes. There was no doubt that that was my brother. But not as I last remembered him. In the arms of the Yondaime, my brother sat comfortably, in the form of a three year old. His hair was short, not long enough to be tied back. His eyes were wide and yet so wise. His small head rested on the fourth's shoulder, and his hand clutched at the white cloak. He doesn't recognise me, not at all.

"Hey!" I snapped out of my gazing and sharply look at the ex-Hokage. "He's just a kid here, don't be a paedophile, kid," he said. He's voice had not been the one that called me here.

I looked around. "Where are the herbs?" I asked dumbly. I followed the voice here in the first place just to find the stupid herbs, but there's none in sight. "I must be hallucinated," I mumbled to myself.

The Yondaime furrowed his blond brows, looking serious. "Look, Sasuke, I can't be here for long, but listen to me very carefully. I know there's a war going on, and it's not something a Hokage likes to know about. And I don't mean to sound big-headed or anything, but you guys need the Yellow Flash."

"But, you're… … dead," I said. I didn't know if this was real or fake, but whatever helps with the war is something worth listening to.

He twitched and sighed in defeat. "I know, I know, stop reminding me," he re-gripped his hold on my Itachi. I felt a spark of possessiveness overcome me. "Look, my son, he is the only one able to use Hiraishin. You must find him a teacher."

"But, I don't know who knows the Hiraishin and is able to perform it."

"He does," he said, looking down at the tiny boy in his arms.

"But…," I tried. This was the Legendary Yellow Flash standing in front of me. I don't even know if I'm worthy to stand in his presence.

"Look, I'm running out of time. Just know that my son can help big time with the war. 'Tachi-chan is the only one able to perform the Hiraishin. I'm sure you know what to do with this piece of information. And, uh, yeah… that's about it…" he slowly faded away, as if he were a ghost. And just before he completely disappeared, he asked, "by the way, what are you going to do to your brother when he remembers again?"

Hours past and I have still yet to move. My head spun around and around, trying to grasp what the ghost of a legend said. The caves moved around and around, always changing. Those purple, yellowish herbs drifted around in the water. I was able to gather some, but knowing Gai and Lee, they probably had enough for two entire countries. I dazedly got the scroll out and examined the seal drawn on it. I smirked slightly; it was obviously Naruto's work. He was starting on the seal category, learning to be a seal master. There were only two seal masters left in the world, one of them being Jiraiya, who's now dead and the other being my brother.

The seal clumsily teleported me out of the changing caves and out into the clearing, where Lee and Gai were waiting for me. Not long after I arrived, Kakashi followed, staring intensely at his book with an arm full of the herbs. He looked up and looked surprised. "Oh, you guys were on this mission too?" he asked.

"Haha, very hip, my rival!"

I rolled my eyes. I twitched violently when I noticed Lee looking at me strange. "I understand, Sasuke-san," he announced, "that you already have Naruto-kun as you rival. I shall not challenge you for now!"

"I feel so relief," I mumbled, rolling my eyes. I headed into the now dark forest, not looking back. This cave kinda creeps me out now.

---------------------------------------

-----------------------

The fire crackled in the fog of the night. Gai was out patrolling the area. Lee was somewhere up in the trees, doing his nightly schedule of training. Kakashi was, as always, reading. Though I have no idea how the hell he does that in the dark. I, on the other hand, was contemplating whether or not to tell Kakashi of what I saw in the caves. Eh, what the hell?

"Kakashi," I said, barely gaining his attention. My voice echoed slightly in the dense forest, deep and husky. "Do those caves… produce hallucinations?"

He looked up, finally interested. "No, they don't. But they, however, are the weakest wall between life and death. Why? What did you see?"

"The fourth and…," I hesitated, "… my brother. He said…"

"Tell me, Sasuke," he demanded. "If it's something from the fourth, maybe he could help with the war."

"Fine," I snapped. "He said his son is the only one who is able to use the Hiraishin at its fullest potential. He said… that my brother is able to use it as well. I don't know if it's true."

He rubbed his chin and thought, though his eye remained on the pages of his book. "It could be true. I mean, we have no idea how powerful Itachi actually **is**… or **was**. That's right; the most lethal weapon during the last war was the Hiraishin."

"But, who's the son?"

"Uh, that's classified information. I'll have to discuss this with the Hokage first."

---------------------------------------

-----------------------

I sighed in content. This was definitely the life that I could get used to. His hand ran through my short hair, over and over again. I relished in the soft pillow that were his crossed legs and the smell of the herbs that I have yet to wash off. My eyes closed as I bathed in his presence. The war, the countless deaths and the ton of blood spilled, they don't matter. Not now, at least. I purred, just to entertain my aniki.

"How was you mission?" he asked, sounding as if he didn't care at all. But I knew the hidden meaning. He meant to say, _"Are you hurt? If so, by whom?"_

"Good, we were just gathering herbs."

I took the hand that wasn't running in my hair and brought it to my lips. I, as mentioned before, showered it with soft kisses. His hand was almost always cold, it made me shiver. "I don't understand," he whispers.

"What?"

"Did you not… want to kill me?"

"Don't," I said. "Don't aniki. I don't know anymore, just don't think like that."

He sighed quietly. "Teenagers these days, so indecisive."

"You… you love me, don't you?"

"Yes, I think I do… very much."

"That's all I need to know," I said. I sat up slowly, as to not head-butt him. I turned and, without warning, grabbed the back of his head and brought him in. I gently nipped at his bottom lip, almost moaning at the taste. And yet, there wasn't enough contact, not enough at all. I grabbed his hips and brought him up, straddling my thighs. His hands landed on my shoulders, deepening the kiss. Heat stirred at the pit of my stomach. I curse the need for air.

We broke apart, gasping like fishes out of water. His lip was swollen, and I thought I might've been too harsh on him. I gently caressed his lips. "Sorry," I whispered.

"That's very wrong of us, otouto," he said. "We are brothers, related by blood. Not to mention of the same gender." I couldn't help but feel like we've been through this conversation before.

"I know," I growled, leaning in for a small peck.

He smiled slightly against my lips. "But you do not care, am I right?"

"Hn," and with that, I pulled him against me tighter. I trailed my kisses down south, where I had once placed a huge bruise there. My chest tightened at the memory. Even now, in the middle of a war, I could still feel his slender neck in my hands. I pulled back, afraid of hurting him anymore. "What about you," I asked. "Are you disgusted? Do you want to stop?"

He shrugged. "What does it matter? I'm already a criminal anyway."

I smirked. There's something about the way he said it that sounded very sexy. "Yeah, did I mention that you're a very sexy criminal?"

Oh, crap. I must've said that out loud.

I coughed, glancing sideways, avoiding his piercing eyes that stared at me with amusement. "Hn," he grunted. He leaned in, giving me a peck on the cheek.

"Oh, gee. I really do hope that I'm interrupting something," I heard.

I glanced behind me, where Kakashi stood, rubbing the back of his head. "You are," I growled.

Did I ever tell anyone that I really, really, despise this man?

"Oh, good," he said. "Sasuke, we have a meeting with the Hokage. This time, please bring Itachi too. Actually, I think I can take Itachi with me. Come on, Itachi. I'll teach you to remember love…"

I instantly stood up, with my brother in my arms. "You wish, you old fart," I snapped. I teleported us to the tower, where shinobis are coming in and out with missions reports and a lot of blood on their beings. Kakashi appeared by our side second later.

"Sasuke, do you have any idea how much that hurts? I just happen to have silver hair, not exactly old, you know. People think silver hair is cool, don't you Itachi?"

My beautiful brother just smirked, crossed his arms and walked ahead, leading this small party. "You know," my old sensei said. "Sometimes, I forget that this is Itachi I'm talking to."

"Hn."

I wonder what the meeting's about?

* * *

There, so sorry for the very long wait.

I was busy working on another one of my one-shots. It's called "**Betting Doll." Check it out.**

I don't really know if you guys like this chapter.

But the plots moving and building up to the climax.

And as you can see, Itachi decided not to tell Sasuke about his condition; both his disease and womb.

Anyways, please **review** and tell me what you think. I'd really apprecieate it.


	15. Chapter 14

Title: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A.N: A huge, massive thanks for my faithful reviewers. Love you all.

**Passion**

(You know, one of these days, the title will be more than just one word)

Right, so two hours of meeting changed into one sentence is, "Naruto needs to be trained the Hiraishin."

I had no problem. My aniki had no problem and Kakashi certainly had no problem. And even though nobody had any problem, problems were still there. Like, for instance, the fact that Naruto had a hard time accepting that his own father damned his life. But of course, being the dobe that he is, he got over it. The real problem, however, lies in the fact that in order to teach Naruto the Hiraishin, the teacher would have to know it first. Or in this case, the teacher would have to remember it first.

My brother didn't remember, but he had no problem following his instincts and letting his body do the work. But the point is, at least my brother did something. He trained what could possibly be the saviour of this village. The dobe trained hard and saves lives, he brightens the day and he fights. Sakura trains and heal people, she saves lives and she has unimaginable strength. Kakashi goes out everyday on missions and barely got enough sleep. I, on the other hand, wait around for missions and stare at my aniki… all day long…

Of course, I wasn't pitiful enough to feel weak. I knew how strong I was, and that's not the problem; the problem, being that I don't know what to do with Itachi. I want to hate him, but I ended up loving him more than anything else. I want to get my revenge, but that damn amnesia was in the way. The real problem, however, was the fact that his memories aren't coming back the way I want them to. All the important memories were still locked away by my chakra in his system. The memories that came back to him were small, insignificance and down right weird. He remembered stuff like going into a hotel, reading a book, brushing his hair and putting on clothes. But they were nothing like the stuff that I want him to remember. Though I supposed they were better than nothing at all.

There's also another problem. My brother and I can't seem to get some alone time. There are times when it was Karin who wanted to play with her baby's hair, or it was Naruto trying to keep Itachi away from me. Other times, it was Kakashi who just loved to see me twitch with anger or Itachi himself, who just cared too much about the war. It's almost as if he feels responsible for the death of many shinobi. But we had a long, boring discussion about it. It just wasn't his fault.

I sighed, as if to erase any thoughts from my head and closed the sliding door, keeping the cold out and the warmth in. The huge house was dimly lit and very quiet. My guess is that Naruto was still out training, working on his father's legendary legacy. I took my shoes off and walked in, smelling the dinner that Karin cooked. I walked pass the kitchen all together. The whole point was to avoid Karin, by just like all the other times; she seemed to have a natural instinct for me.

"Sasuke-kun," she turned around, holding a large wooden spoon. "You're back, how was your day? Did you do well on your mission? Are you tired? Maybe I could help you **relax**?" She batted her eyes. I shuddered naturally, reminded of the days when there were herds of fan girls running after me.

I twitched slightly and continued walking. She knew what it meant anyways. But despite her behaviours, I could see the changes in her eyes. Because of the war and her job to help heal people and feed them chakra, she was slowly growing up. She was maturing into the strong woman that I never knew she could become. I wish I could say the same with Suigetsu, but he was still out fighting in the front line. He loves it there, saying something about killing as many people as he liked without consequences. But Suigetsu was always like that.

I walked towards my room. My heart beat loudly in my chest, jumping with joy, because I knew he would be there. He would come back form training Naruto and waited in my room, reading what ever book caught his eyes. A large grin spread across my face as I open the sliding door. I could only imagine what would happen if somebody else caught me with this stupid expression. What the hell happened to the great, cold-hearted Uchiha Sasuke? But then again, what the hell happened to the stupid voice that was in my head?

The first thing I saw was the small pot of rose that I bought for him. It sat innocently on my night stand, mixing perfectly with my dark beauty of a brother. He was lying on his back, a book covering his face, most likely asleep. My grin turned mischievous. I crept over, target in sight. Slowly yet lovingly, I traced soft kisses from his foot up his legs. I only got up to his right knee, when the next thing I knew, my head was pounded against the wall… with the force of an elephant. I twitched, looking up at the beauty that was once asleep. He was still lying on his back, but his leg was raised, in the form of a kick.

"What… the hell?" I hissed.

"My apologies, I thought you were an insane perverted brute. But now that I see your face, I suppose you're not," he said. I twitch some more, got up and dusted invisible dust.

"You sadistic bastard," I mumbled to myself.

"Hm?"

"Nothing. You know, aniki, I'm starting to think that you enjoy my pain. You seem to find every opportunity to put a bruise on me. It hurts," I said.

I walked over and flopped myself onto my bed. I laid my head on his lap, almost desperate for his hand to run through my hair. I felt him sit up and heard the book next to my head. I felt his hand lost in my spiky hair and purred, closing my eyes.

"Of course," he replied. "It gives me a sense of satisfaction to know that even though I'm very slightly smaller than you, I can't still over power you. You'd do the same if you were in my position."

_**Over power**_, I snickered quietly. Without warning, I pulled his legs under me. He lay on his back once more. I hovered over him. And I really couldn't help but smirk. "Over power, eh?" I said. I leaned down, stopping just centimetres from his face. I watched in delight as his eyes widened slightly.

His dark eyes gazed over. "Hu…," he attempted to say something. I felt him quiver, sending soft Goosebumps along his arms. But slowly and surely I'm figuring out the effects I have on him.

His eyes suddenly changed glint and I was surprised to find myself on my back and my brother sitting on my hip. Well… this is tempting. Doesn't the little weasel have any idea of what he does to me? Really? Was he that dense? Or is he just being a real bastard about it? Damn it! Doesn't he feel the erection down there?

"Uh," I uttered awkwardly. "You know, this position gives me a lot of suggestions. It's… not a very…."

He got off of me, gentle and graceful as always. He gave me a look, as if to measure something. A small smirk hovered at his lips and he gave me a kiss. It was small and gentle, but it meant a lot.

"How goes training?" I asked.

He picked his book up once more, giving it all his attention. I sat up and settled for glaring at the damn thing. I'm really waiting for the day when all his attention was on ME.

"Very well," he answered. "Naruto-kun is a very fast learner. We are learning the jutsu together. He has unwavering will and determination; more than enough to complete the jutsu."

I looked at the opposite wall, feigning disinterest. I didn't need my aniki to think that I was jealous. That just wouldn't do. This situation with my aniki not remembering anything was getting deeper and more complicated. It's like there's a knot for this situation. And everyday other knots joined the first. I could just picture it now. The knot must be huge. Everything's so gratuitously complicated. I just want my aniki to remember again. That was all.

"Yeah, well," I sighed. "That's the dobe for you."

**--------------------------------------------------**

Dinner was as it usually goes nowadays. There wasn't a need to talk or fill the silence. Karin did enough of that for all of us. But naturally, Juugo wasn't one to talk much; I just couldn't be bothered and Itachi just… doesn't. I ate everything but the colourful looking thing that was sure to taste sweet. Juugo ate everything quietly, glancing out the window every now and then.

"How are the children?" my brother suddenly asked, interrupting Karin in the middle of a speech.

There was no doubt that my brother loved children; especially the three minions of Naruto's. I swear that they were taught to keep Itachi from me. But that's to be expected since Naruto was their boss. My brother absolutely, though secretly, adored those kids. They were loud and hyperactive, though that's probably why aniki loved them so much.

"They are fine," Juugo answered, shuddering at the thoughts of children out of the academy hour. "The children are slightly disturbed by the ongoing war, but they're very brave."

Itachi nodded then turned to me. And, suddenly, it was there. It wasn't anything big or noticeable, but I caught it anyways. There was a flash, rare as it is. It was there and gone in only one moment. But I caught it, because it held something. He was hiding something from me. When one tries too hard to hide something, it just showed. But I admit that he's done a great job so far. Wonder what he's hiding though?

I pretended to play with my food, keeping my head down, but my eyes on him. Once he was sure that I wasn't looking at him, he looked up. Our eyes caught for a second, but that was more than enough. I saw the strange glint again.

He is definitely hiding something, but then, isn't he always?

**--------------------------------------------------**

"_You'll never have him," he stated, crossing his arms and looking at me. _

_I narrowed my eyes and glared at the man, crossing my arms also. I wanted nothing more than to kick this guy's ass for intruding on my dreams. "You can't know that," I hissed. _

_Amusement danced across his eyes. He raised an elegant eyebrow. "Of course I can, I'm him, and he's me." He waited for my reply, sure that it would amuse him._

_I seethed, clenching my nails down on my crossed arms. Now I remember why I hate him so much. "It doesn't matter. You're the old him, he doesn't remember being you anymore. You've been long forgotten, murderer." I was rewarded with a soft, melodic chuckle. _

"_Long forgotten," he quoted a small smirk marring across his lips. "Really, otouto? You seem to want me back very much."_

"_Yeah, so I can finally kill you."_

_He uncrossed his arms and ran a hand through one of his bangs. His gaze on me reminded me that he was the older one. He sighed softly. "You're still so indecisive, otouto. Do you want me dead or alive?"_

_I hissed at him, glaring at him with all my worth. How is it that I've come to love this man, yet hating him so much? This man standing before me is the one whom I was supposed to kill, but ended up loving him above all else. "What the hell are you here for, you demon?" I hissed at him. _

_He shrugged, looking elsewhere. "I just wanted to tell you that you can't possibly have me is all. Fate had written it down that I was supposed to die on that day, the day that we fought. But you, my little brother, have defied fate more than enough time. You cannot hope to have me with you and live happily," he said. He walked, or glided, towards me and circled me. His beautiful face cold and blank once more. "Foolish otouto, I'm not even meant to be alive right now. What hope do you have?" _

_I've had enough. I stoped him in his circled track and held him tight on both upper arms. I brought him closer and shook him a little. "It's just like you, isn't it?" I asked, shaking him once more. "To come in here, in my dream, and ruin everything that I've worked for. You… I should just kill you right here for the sake of satisfaction!"_

_And then, shamelessly and right before my very eyes, the demon became the angel. His small yet tensed body became limp and fragile. His eyes held barely concealed confusion. My grip loosened to the point hat it should feel like a caress. His eyes on me were so loving that the anger drained from me like a river. "Aniki," I whispered._

_He freed his arms and wrapped it around the back of my head, bringing it down onto his shoulder. My arms automatically wrapped around his waist and I buried my nose in his soft hair. "Otouto," he whispered too. "You can't have me. I'm a walking dead man. This fantasy of yours cannot last forever. You hate me, you'll kill me. I know you will." His hold on me was so kind and loving, so very soft and tender. But his words were cruel and merciless, cold and cursed. He is the one that I love, the one that tore me in two. _

_I pulled him into me tighter, my grip almost desperate. "I don't understand," I lied. "Why would I kill you?"_

_He pulled back, looking into my eyes. "It's okay," he cooed. "One way or the other, I'll die."_

_And he was back, my cruel, murderer of a brother. _

"_You can't save me_

_I'll die_

_You'll never have me_

_You'll lose"_

**"_You're not strong enough_**

_**Still not enough hatred**_

_**Foolish little brother"**_

**--------------------------------------------------**

I growled as I ran my hand over his thigh. My latest mission had been a failure. But that was because my victim bit his tongue off before I got there. I was to interrogate a captive, but obviously, that was a failure. All of that was behind me now; I couldn't care less about that. It was the beautiful god in front of me that matters. The dream from last night haunts my restless mind. That led me to come home straight away and ravish my brother like this.

His breath hitched as I pulled his left leg up and wrapped it around my hip. I roughly thrust my hip forward, trapping him between me and a tree and earning a breathless gasp. My hand continued to roam his smooth thigh while the other pulled him into me. My lips never left his, wild and rough. But it did, eventually. I trailed my lips downwards, from his lips to his jaw, then his neck to his shoulder. The dark yukata barely hung onto his lithe form.

I swore, if anyone disturbed us this time, they've got hell to pay.

"What…," he panted, "what brought this all of a sudden?"

I pushed forward once more, earning another quiet gasp. His hands, lost in my hair, tightened. I bit down particularly hard on a certain spot. The reaction was immediate. He arched into me, tightening both his arms and leg. "Nothing," I growled. I continued with my marking. I'll prove him wrong. I'll prove that I can and will have him. This time, I'll be the one in control.

My erection ached terribly, calling for much needed attention. But he felt it before I did. His small hand left my hair and travelled down, painfully slow. Shyly yet shamelessly, he grabbed my clothed erection and played with it. But he couldn't possible be shameful about it. The guy doesn't even realise that making out is supposed to be a private situation.

I growled into his neck, loving the smell that drove me crazy. Oh, there was so much heat. It's hot everywhere, especially down there. Impatience ran in the family it seemed. I grabbed his other leg and hoisted it up, wrapping it around my hip just like the other. He was forced to grab onto me as to not fall. I paused, if only for a second and looked at his neck, covered in angry red marks. His pale, porcelain skin was a canvas, so inviting and irresistible. His lips plump and wet, my erection twitched.

I purred into his neck once more, thrusting my hip forward.

"Nng," he mewled quietly.

I continued to grind my hip into his, all the while trailing my hand down his chest. I was confused, however, when he began tugging at my hair, trying to pull me away. "Aniki?" I asked.

"Otouto," he gasped. "Please, I'm… I'm…"

He slowly unwrapped his legs and stood up right, letting go of my messy hair. I suppose I should be angry, but not to this angel. For him, I can wait, although I can't guarantee that I'll wait forever. I gave him a small, gentle smile and gave him a peck on the lips. I couldn't be angry with him. I knew he was probably still uncertain. He doesn't remember much of anything important and to suddenly have his own brother making out with him would be awkward. I suppose, in some way, I was corrupting him.

He was worried, a small frown marring his pretty face. I ran my thumbs along his eyebrows, smoothing out his expression. I pulled his head into my shoulder and held him tight. "It's okay," I whispered. I didn't use a tender tone or tried to coo him. I said it was okay, and he knew it would. "Come on, let's head inside. The dobe's got good news to tell you."

We started towards our house, when he stopped me. "I got rid of mine, you need to get rid of yours," he said.

I raised an eyebrow and we had a staring contest. He wavered and looked down. I followed his gaze and saw my… quite big problem. Well, that was embarrassing.

"I'll head in first. You can use the back door to get in and use the shower," he said.

I watched as he glided away. That was a good make out session, I admit. But I wonder when we'll go all the way. Or of we're going all the way at all. I knew he wanted it as much as I, but why stop? Why stop just seconds away? But that's the problem, knowing Itachi, he normally wouldn't, amnesia or not. He wouldn't back down just seconds away like this… unless he had a reason, a reason that was beyond his control.

Although, he had been going to visit the Godaime a lot lately, could that have anything to do with this? I rolled my eye at my own thought. What's she gonna do? Tell Itachi not to have sex with me? Gah! Pondering later: cold, cold shower first. Uh, I hate cold showers, especially in the middle of winter.

**--------------------------------------------------**

The dobe's large grin greeted me when I got there. I saw Kakashi lazing on our couch, no doubt, book in hand. Sakura sat with her arms and legs crossed; a small frown on her elegant face. "Naruto," she growled, "hurry it up, my break's gonna be over soon and I still have to get back. Just tell us already." I saw her eyebrow twitch slightly, obviously a sign of an upcoming beating.

"Maa, Sakura-chan," he whined. "It's not my fault that the teme took so long in the shower."

"Don't blame this on Sasuke-kun, Naruto. Just tell us already. What do you have to say?"

A large grin took the place of the pout. "YOSH!" he yelled. "I can do the jutsu now. Well, I can't really use it like the Yondaime, but I can travel pretty far with it. Wanna see?" And without waiting for our answer, he took off, throwing a strange looking kunai beforehand, leaving a black and orange blur behind. The blur stayed only for a few short seconds, before vanishing, showing us the true speed that he was going. He came stumbling back after a few seconds, looking sheepish, but smug. He looked straight at my brother, waiting for his approval.

He got a proud smirk and the cross of the arms. "Very impressive Naruto-kun," my aniki praised.

The dobe's eyes brightened even more. "Right, so I can use it up in the battle fields or maybe the front line, right?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kakashi's eye widen, along with my brother's. "Wha… Naruto, are you crazy? Going in the front line with very little experience is suicidal," Kakashi said, ignoring his book for the moment. "Plus, Tsunade-sama would have my head for even thinking about it."

Confusion clouded his blue eyes. "But… the whole point of me learning this technique was so I can help out more, right? So why can't I go up to the front line?"

But I can see where this is going. In the last war, the Yondaime used his infamous technique to help out back here; doing missions that cannot be risked getting caught. To use this jutsu out in the front line would be useless. It would be slaughter after slaughter, especially if there are two people who can use it instead of one. It would be much more effective if this technique could be used on given missions instead of in the front line. That was just to make sure that our territory was still standing. Plus, the dobe was still inexperienced with this technique.

"That technique is needed back here, to be used on given missions, Naruto-kun," my brother said.

"But… if we use it up in the front line, we can win this war easily, right?" Sakura asked. She turned to me. "What do you think, Sasuke-kun?"

I didn't make a move to answer. Kakashi did it for me. "If Naruto goes up to the front line, the village and the rest of the country would become defenceless. Yes, we have thousands more shinobi, but this technique has really big impacts. Do you understand what I'm saying?" The pink headed medic hesitantly nodded.

The dobe was still unconvinced. I guess, learning this jutsu must be a big thing for him. "But… I…," he said.

"I know you want to help, Naruto, but it'll be much more helpful if you helped back here, where the civilians are," Kakashi tried reasoning.

But Sakura was much better at reading people when it came to emotions. "Look, Naruto. You can do dangerous missions and use that technique. And when you can master it fully, you can go to the front line and kick the bad guys' asses, okay?"

This, as it turned out, was a very tempting idea. The dobe nodded viciously, pumping up his fist. Of course, dealing with someone like Naruto and using reasoning is useless. Dealing with someone like him, appealing promises of actions is always the best.

"Right," Sakura said, standing up and straightening her skirt. "My break's over, I better go. See you guys later. Bye Sasuke-kun." We watched her go.

"Tsk, why do you always get the special goodbye?" The dobe whined. I rolled my eyes. One would think that he'd be used to it by now.

"Well, now that we've had that discussion, I'd better go too. I was supposed to go on a mission… two hours ago, but I'm sure my team mates can wait a little longer," with that said, the copy-nin got up and hesitantly tucked his book away. Sighing tiredly and slouching, he vanished. I, very slightly, feel sorry for the guy; having been at war twice in a life-time.

My brother, myself and Naruto sat, waiting for someone to break the silence. It would mostly be the dobe, though. Almost shyly, he said, "Ne, 'Tachi, thanks for the new seals." Ah, that's right. In order to use the Hiraishin, the dobe and my aniki had to use the Yondaime's three pronged kunai. But their chakras were different, so the seal on the handle had to be changed. My brother did that, though I had no idea that he knew so much about seals.

And here, I suspect that my killer of a brother remembered much, much more than he let on.

**--------------------------------------------------**

I found him in the garden that Karin took great care of. It wasn't in the main house, but rather, in the house of my aniki's dead fiancée. This knowledge brought a great pang of jealousy to my chest. Her name was Uchiha Sakuno, she had been ten when she and my aniki were engaged. She was very kind and absolutely loved gardening. But she and my brother didn't like each other that way. I was about six back then, I didn't care about that sort of stuff, only that she was stealing my aniki. But I didn't have to worry about that, as it turned out, did I?

They all ended up dead in one night anyways. No more engagement, no wedding at all. But still, her and her mother's house were very beautiful, small, but beautiful. The flowers hadn't died out at all in our absence. Karin now took care of the garden in her spare time. This is my first time being here. And I admit Karin did a great job attending to her new found garden. A lot of times I found her here, with a small smile and a daydreaming look on her face. I suspect, and I have great reasons to, that she was dreaming about me.

But today, it was not Karin that I found. She was at the hospital. It turns out that she and Sakura were a force to be reckoned with when they're working together. Sakura would heal endlessly with Karin's chakra as backup. They could heal people for three days non-stop and that would only wear them out so much. Anyways, I found my brother… in this garden that still survived in the winter.

He was walking around with a long, slender stick, waving it around as it was a wand. And they way he walked, as if unsure of where he was going, reminded me of a blind man. This thought sent violent chills down my spine. Pft, what the hell was I thinking. Aniki wasn't blind. He didn't show any sign of having sight problems. I shook my head, collected my cool and walked towards him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He turned around…… and so did the stick. I ducked down, covering me head in case he did another turn. Acting as if he didn't nearly wack me head off, he said, "Finding more anthills. They know that we are on to them and they've abandoned this technique, however, we can never be too careful. Though I admit, it was a clever little plan they had for spying. They just didn't count on a man with no memory to come along."

"Alright," I said. "What's with the stick? It's not like you're gonna bump into anything here."

And all too suddenly, the strange glint was there once more. I could only ponder why I haven't noticed this sooner. But if I had to say, it started after he came back form Iwa. Plus, his hesitation was a little too long. "No reason, it seemed tempting at the time," he replied.

"Did you find anything?"

"No."

"What are you going to do when you find another anthill?"

"Nothing. The anthill itself will lead me back to one of their headquarters, where the head of their spy network begins."

That's a pretty well planned out plan for a man with amnesia.

"Right." I began to wander around also, both looking for anthills and at the colourful flowers.

We went at it for hours. And at around the time that the sun was going down, I found what I was looking for. I didn't find an anthill, no, I found something that I didn't know I was looking for. But I guess when I laid eyes on it, that it seemed appropriate at that time.

Flowers, that's what I found. It was bright yellow in the middle and had five sky blue petals around it. Forget Me Not, that's what they're called. That's the name of the flowers. I don't remember learning the name to that, but I was pretty sure that okaa-san liked these very much. Never taking my eyes off of them, I carefully broke a bunch off. Ironic how the few that I took formed a shape similar to a heart. It was obvious who I was giving them to.

I never took my aniki for one to enjoy simple pleasures such as flowers, but he never threw anything that I gave him away. But I can't judge him because he was a criminal. He hated violence and preferred peace and tranquillity, so how would I know if he doesn't like flowers?

I made my way over to him, watching him carefully. But really, my eyes were more on the stick then him, because ho knows when it'll decide to turn around and poke me in the eyes? I abandoned any attempt to sneak up on him, it was useless. His body would automatically pick up movement. It was a force of habit from his years as a wanted criminal. I wrapped my free arm around his waist, feeling him tense up for a second. And it occurred to me than, that my brother can still be a criminal, a killer even if he doesn't remember.

"I," he started, "would never have taken you for a romantic."

My small grin, which I didn't know was there, slipped off my face. Of course, it was just like him to ruin the moment with bluntness. My arm slipped of his waist, coming back to my side. "Here," I shoved the bundle to his face, careful not to hurt him.

I watched carefully as he examined the flowers. He was trying to remember the name to it. His gaze shift from the flowers to me and to the stick in his hand. Finally he looked up, his expression cold and blank. "I don't remember the name of it," he said, searching my eyes for the answer.

I smiled a small, bitter smile. I took his hand in mine and the other around his waist. I leaned my forehead forward, resting on his. He was only slightly smaller than me; it didn't make a difference. It as quite unnerving that in his other hand, he held the long, dangerous stick. "Forget Me Not," I whisper. My eyes never left his. In this dark, cold day, my brother was truly a creature of black and white. But then, most likely, so was I.

"Strange name," he whispered back. But I can see that he knew what I meant.

"Forget your brother not," I said. Then, almost as if a warning, I growled out, "Don't!"

"I can't forget you anymore than this. From this point on, I can only remember you more and more everyday."

"Tell me what you're thinking?" I asked. It has always, _**always**_ intrigued me what was going on his mind at this stage. But considering the way he's always putting bruises on me, maybe I really don't want to know.

"I'm thinking how strange it is that we have this relationship… and right in the middle of a war, too. I thinking that maybe you are confusing your love for a brother with your love for a lover. You are, after some time pondering, a teenager after all. This is supposed to be the stage in your life that is most confusing and challenging."

And for just one moment, my head cleared a little. Yes, this is wrong, this is a sin. I can see that now. In this state of clear minded, I can see that this is the sin that I've been seeking all along. I wanted this, I needed it. It's my form of punishment. I needed to be punished like a bad little boy. I've hated my brother. I've hated and hunted down the one whom I was supposed to love above all. And as punishment, I was to love that one… just not in the right way.

That… or I'm just head over heels in love with him.

"Forget Me Not," he repeated, after I didn't answer. "I like it."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. I circled around him, coming up behind him and circling his waist with my arms. He didn't drop the stick nor did he look at me. His attention was on the flowers that he was sure he'd never seen before. But I didn't need him to acknowledge me, he knew I was here, that's fine. My right hand, which seemed abnormally large against his stomach, traced soft circles on said part of body. My left hand took his chin and turned it around, right into my waiting lips. He sighed softly into my lips.

-----

------------  
-----------------

"Aniki."

"Hn?"

-----

-------------

"Why's your stomach _**pulsing**_?"

* * *

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry for not updating. I guess I just lost my way for a little there.  
Anyways, I wanna hurry up and get on with the Mpreg thing.

I'll try not to be so slow in the next chapter.

Please, please review.


	16. Chapter 15

Title: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto the anime/manga series.

**Puzzles**

I stared passively at the dying man. The stench of blood was strong and still fresh. It was a smell that I was all too used to. The walls and the floors of this prison cell were dark and cold, dirty and unforgiving. The smell and the surrounding were a perfect combination. The silence pressured against my ears, broken by the heavy panting of the dying man. Well, he was well on his way to death, considering what I've done with him. I'm no very sure he'll even make it through this week. And before his time is up, I plan to make use of him.

"You'll give me answers eventually. Even you know that. So just save yourself some unneeded pain and talk," I said, breaking the semi silence.

The brunette before me looked up at me through half lidded eyes. "I'm not stupid, boy. I know I'm going to die, so I'll just take our secrets with me to the grave." My eyes narrowed. This man in his forties certainly has guts, and I admire that. However, my brother is keeping secrets too, and I'm not about to interrogate him for it.

I poked around at his wounds, my Sharingan wheeling wildly. "That's quite admirable," I muttered. "However, this is definitely the wrong time and the wrong place. You can be as brave as you want, but there's no one to award you for being a hero here." I straighten up, looking down at the soon-to-be corpse. "I don't think you understand your situation here. We don't exactly need you alive. I can just kill you right now and capture another of your comrades. So just answer my questions. They're quite easy to answer; you don't even need to be fully conscious."

He wasn't old, but he wasn't young anymore either. He understood his position; he understood every action's impact. His eyes dulled, a sure sign of giving in. "Alright," he started. "What do you want know? I'll only tell you things I'm certain are true. Don't expect me to know everything. Tsk, kids these days…"

"Your name was on the list of the project that involved Uchiha Itachi. Tell me everything that has anything to do with him," I demanded. There's no point being nice now, not that I was nice to begin with…

"U… Uchiha Itachi?" he asked, looking sceptical through his bleeding face. "Of all things that I could tell you, you just wanted to know about that man? Fine, not like I'll live long enough to suffer the consequences. Hmm, let's see, well, the Tsuchikage had big plans for the boy… big plans indeed. Lucky little fellow, he escaped. Ha, we didn't even find out how. It's almost as if he just got up and disappeared in thin air. No traces of him what so ever. Then we heard that he was back here, in this village, so we thought we failed the project."

My eyes narrowed in anger as I delivered a kick to the man's torso, hearing a familiar crack. "All this has nothing to do with the project," I hissed. "What have you done to him while he was there?!"

I waited impatiently while he coughed up blood, reminding me of my fight with aniki a few months ago. The only difference was that back then, I hadn't even landed a kick on him. My head swam with anticipation. This was it. I was about to know it all. I was about to learn the secret of what happened to my beloved that was buried from me. I considered kicking the man once more, but that'd probably kill him. It's not time for that yet.

He sighed, getting his breath back. "We… they performed a completed experiment on him. The project was called _Project Seven; Impreg_, it was the seventh experiment constructed for this war. The other six were constructed for weapons and poisons and other necessities for wars. Hmm, let's see… well, when a squad came back with Uchiha Itachi, our medics had to do a little bit of healing, since one of their member nearly broke his whole chest."

"And did you succeed? What the hell does the experiment do?"

The man narrowed his eyes, scared that my impatience would result in his death. "They did it. They managed to put a womb in his stomach just a few hours before he escaped…" he suddenly stopped. But I guess that had something to do with my current expression. I must've looked pretty stupid, I knew I did. And maybe, my ears were starting to fail me after all these years of service. But I just had to hear it one more time, just to make sure I'm still very much sane. I demanded that he say it one more time. "Yeah, they implanted an artificial womb in him. I don't know much 'bout it, but I think it's only good for one baby. Hmm, baby isn't even the right term for it. I guess, if there is a baby, it'll be more like an "it"."

Yeah, as it turns out, my ears are still perfectly fine. "Womb, baby, it?" I repeated. "You've only got so long to live, old man. Don't push your luck. One more chance or I'm going after another one of your team mates."

His eyes widened, finally fully understanding how unimportant he is to me. I wouldn't hesitate to kill one more, it wouldn't make much of a difference. "Uh, our medics forced a womb in his stomach, now he's able to be impregnate. But… I heard that the process won't be like the normal processes women go through. It was classified information, but I don't think that the baby will be normal. A perfect weapon, that's what the Tsuchikage called it."

I silently stared at him. Almost ten minutes past, before I figured what was on my own mind. "You gave a little too much information with too little resistance," I said. I leaned down, a kunai pressed tightly against his throat, ready for the kill. "Who the hell are you?" I growled. I should've seen this from the beginning, but my desperation for answers clouded my mind. This man, who was a leader of a squad, was captured. I should've suspected something was up when the report told me that he surrendered. And now, he was telling me of classified information and with so little struggle. "Answer me!"

The man smirked up at me. It seemed that all the pain he felt as suddenly gone. He was at ease. "Hm, a little slower than I expected, but you figured it out," he said. His voice was not hitched up with pain anymore, but seemed rather relaxed. "Well, my job here is done. I'll see you and my little weasel later than," and with that, he suddenly became liquefied. A spinning sharingan was the last thing I saw of the man. Uchiha Madara! And for the second time in my life, pure, stabbing fear froze my heart. It was short lived. I wouldn't allow it.

I wobbled my way out of the cell and out of the underground interrogating centre. My brother, whom I was totally in love with, was great at keeping secrets. Of course, that should be obvious because up til now, I still haven't gotten an answer as to why he killed our family. But this! This was big, this was huge! He is a man for goodness sake. But… I can only imagine the pain he must've gone through while being held captive. He must've had a reason for hiding this from me. Plus, I still need to confirm it with him first. Who knew if Madara was even telling the truth? How the hell would he even know in the first place?

Tsk, my brother capable of having a bay. I rolled my eyes. Great; another reason for me to get my hopes up.

**xxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**

"What is this?" he asked.

I just came home with the intention of asking my brother everything. But Kakashi and Naruto had waltzed in, inviting themselves into our home. They were geared up, obviously ready for a mission. And by the looks of things, my brother and I were going with. Kakashi was in his usually jounin outfit. I swear, the man hasn't changed one bit since I was last here. The only addition was the dark green scarf that was wrapped around his neck. The one I don't get is Naruto. Why the hell isn't he cold!? He's just wearing his usual jumpsuit, black and orange.

My brother and I stared at the tiny box of even tinier pills. "What is it?" I repeated my brother.

The jounin sighed. "This mission that we're about to go on is very high risked. The chances of us getting caught are very high. This here is a sort of pill specially made for this type mission. It doesn't dissolve, so it can stay in your mouth as long as you like. It's poisonous, an instant kill. Just one bite is more then enough to end you for good, so make sure you think things through." He didn't need to say anymore. We all knew what this meant. If we got caught, the enemies would no doubt attempt to interrogate us. This village has many secrets. Kakashi, Naruto and I hold many, many deadly secrets, we cannot risk getting caught. Should that happen, the pill would send us to the grave… along with our secrets.

Even my brother, whom did not remember situations like these, knew what it meant. But I admit, this mission does make me feel a little disturbed. If I could help it, u wouldn't want my brother to go on it at all. And Kakashi knew that, he knew that I would never put my brother at risk. So for him and Naruto to come here with this mission, things must be getting bad.

"All right, let's head out. I'll give the mission briefing on the way there," kakashi said, already heading for the door.

"And… where are we going exactly?" the Dobe asked, arms crossed behind his head, obviously excited.

"You'll see."

Just like a few months ago, just before this stupid war started, we set up camp, waiting for the dark to come. We were dangerously close to enemy territory, so we didn't get out our sleeping bags or much of anything. Should we be discovered, we would have to escape pretty fast, not enough time to pack things up. Kakashi's mission briefing was… well, brief. I'm sure there were other smaller details, but he was probably just too lazy to actually inform us.

There was an extremely rich business man who was on his way to Kumogakure. He has a lot of money and power. Our spy reported that he was promised a piece of the Fire Country once they won the war. This led to the man, Takakuro Ishikawa, sponsoring the weapon making for Kumo and Iwa. That, on our part, would be extremely bad. This is why we were assigned to the mission of assassination. He was stopping in a small town for a few days. This was very foolish on their part, but the rich man had a fetish for beautiful ladies. And for that, he was going to die.

Takakuro Ishikawa and his guards had rented and stayed at a wealthy hotel. Tonight, he and only a few of his men would be going into a spa. Almost certainly, he would hire a few beautiful ladies in with him. In the time that would take him and the ladies to bath and enjoy themselves, that is when he would command privacy. That time period would be approximately two to three hours. Between those times are the times when we have our chance. He was going to die while enjoying a good bath.

Our plan was quite simple actually. And very shocking, Naruto had been the one to come up with it. Of course, Kakashi would have already had hundreds of ways to complete the mission. And I, too, had already had plans sorted out. However, it is time that Naruto grows up. More than likely, he would have a lead a squad or go on missions alone, he would have to get used to coming up with plans in only a few minutes. He needed to think on his own. But he wasn't the king of pranksters and most surprising ninja of our village for nothing.

**XxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**

I couldn't keep my hands off of him, despite his new appearance. He and Naruto were in their disguise, using Naruto's "Sexy no Jutsu." It was the perfect disguise; there was no chakra to detect. This jutsu actually changes the users' both inner and outer appearance. Both their new disguises have evenly tanned skin. Naruto was a blond young girl with huge breasts and big blue eyes. There was o whisker marks. My brother had auburn hair, beautiful tan and well, breasts. There was no doubt that they were both very beautiful. Kakashi was in heaven.

"Alright," the Dobe said, his voice in a higher pitch. "Don't forget the plan, okay?"

I rolled my eyes. Cocky little brat. He comes up with one plan and suddenly he's the new leader. "Don't worry about us. It's you who always stuff things up," I said. His reaction, oh so predictable, was quick and loud.

"WHAT!?" he yelled in his high pitched voice, holding up a fist. "This is my plan, I won't forget it! Just make sure you and Kakashi-sensei don't forget." Despite our petty arguments, I nodded. Because I knew whose life depended on it.

"Alright," Kakashi interrupted. "Everything's set to go. The target's in position. You two have to get there fast to get his attention." He turned to aniki and Naruto, looking over them one more time. I could see that he was not happy with the strategists' choice of mission. His eye tightened, looking cold and harsh. "Do you have your pills?"

We all nodded. I ran my tongue over the tiny pill, ready to be bitten and kill me. I glance at my brother, just as he glanced at me. I really, really don't want him to be here, in danger. And I knew he didn't want me to be here. He worries about me. That made me happy. Without another word, the two ladies walked off, heading into town. Once out of site, Kakashi and I packed up what little things we brought out and headed to our position. Naruto's plan covered all possible risks, including the civilians of this town. If all things go accordingly, we'd be back home by morning. And I would watch my brother water his collection of flowers I brought him.

**XxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**

_Naruto's P.O.V._

It took a lot of efforts to keep my large grin at bay. The seriousness of the situation helped a little. 'Tachi, or rather Nezumi, stood at the head of the line. I, who was now Hanako, stood somewhere in the middle. This was the line waiting for our target to pick his companions. 'Tachi and I would definitely be picked; we knew his type after all. We were cleansed and freshened. The nasty old ladies here forced perfumes and make ups on us. Hehe, but we looked pretty good though.

And just as I predicted, our target came in. He was a tall man, in his thirties, with a neatly combed hair. Pft, for a man who does paper work, he's pretty buff. Ah, there's no doubt that he would know some self defence taijutsu. But that wouldn't hinder us; we were professional killers after all. Six big Kumo nins flocked around him. Judging from their expressions, they didn't mind stopping here either. The head mistress glided over to him, bowing slightly too low.

"Welcome Takakuro-sama," she purred, blinking a little too much. "Please, would you like something to drink?"

The man smirked, at 'Tachi a little too long for my liking. He shook his head. "No, no, madam. My stay here is very limited. I would actually like a good, relaxing bath, if that is alright with you?" His voice was low and almost husky, echoing slightly around the walls.

The madam's smile slipped a little, before coming back full force. "Ah, of course. Tonight we have splendid beauties before us. I'm sure you'd be pleased. Please, won't you have a look at them?" That Takakuro guy nodded again, heading straight for 'Tachi. The other girls near him batted their eyelashes, giggling like mad and showing a little too much skin. And that's when it hit me.

Ah, crap! 'Tachi didn't know how to flirt; he doesn't know how to tempt men. The target didn't change course, heading only to 'Tachi. Once in front of my 'Tachi, he held his hand out, waiting expectantly. And not too disappointingly, 'Tachi laid his delicate hand on the soon-to-be dead man. The target smiled and pulled 'Nezumi' along with him, looking for other companions.

In the end, he picked Nezumi and me, 'Hanako' and two other girls with similar features. This man has a fetish for small girls with strange hair colours and tan skin. One of the other girls had blue hair while the last had a blond so pale it seemed white. Leaving his guards to entertain themselves, he led us into his reserved place. I and the two others flung ourselves at the man, wanting attention. 'Tachi, on the other hand, only watched. I knew he was learning, quickly taking everything in and calculating options. No sooner will he be joining the party.

We all got in the large, hot spa. Us '_ladies'_ wore short, kinky towels. This was the right time. Anytime as long as we are in the bath, that is the time to kill this man. But we had to make him relax first; he needed to let his guard down. I ran over my plan once more, making sure I've done everything right. At this stage, either me or 'Tachi would kill the man. But only one of us can do it. We have two witnesses; the two other girls. They were civilians, we can't risk them being hurt. So when one of us kills the man, the other would still remain innocent.

The two other girls, whose names I didn't remember, clung onto the man's large arm, giggling like mad. 'Tachi set to pour wine onto the cups, looking elegant and graceful as always. I got behind the target, the perfect position to kill. I would do it. I would do it because I don't want 'Tachi to do it. There's no doubt that he'll be able to do it, but he hated these types of things. I don't want him to kill when I can do it instead. This kill, very shockingly, wouldn't be my first. I knew people would never suspect me, the idiot of all time, to be able to kill. But I can, and this is not the first time. If it's a threat to my village, then it's got to go.

He turned to smile at me and I smiled back, putting my hands on his shoulder and squeezed. I gave him a massage. I continuously pleasured him until my hands were starting to go numb. It's been forty minutes since we came in, now's the perfect moment. I wrapped my left hand around his jaw, making sure my touch felt like a caress. I got ready to end the mission. "Hanako-chan," he said. I froze. "Would you get me more wine?"

I moved back and away from him. I put on a gentle smile. Tsk, the guy was just damn lucky. I turned my back to them, pouring his wine. I hate this place. He looks like he's about to grab us and rape us on the spot. I turned back with the cup of wine. 'Tachi moved into my place, giving the man a massage from a pair of smaller hands. My eyes widened. Was he really going to do it? No, no. I can do it, he didn't have to. It'll hurt him just as much, I knew it would. I tried to catch his eyes, tried to warn him not to. But it was too late. The beautiful redhead snaked his arms around the target's head and snapped. He was dead. Mission accomplished.

"Aaahhhh!!!!!"

The two other girls screamed. I screamed too, just for the sake of the plan. Takakuro's guards came running in, half naked and dripping wet. They froze on the spot, after spotting their boss dead. 'Tachi feigned shock, shock form getting caught. Now it was tie for the next stage of the plan. My plan. The two girls and I pointed at 'Tachi with shaky fingers, horrified beyond believe. "I… it was her. Oh my god, she killed him. She killed him!" I screamed. The guards wasted no time, grabbing 'Tachi and dragging him away. For his part, 'Tachi didn't struggle.

I waited for the commotion to go down. A few of his guards dragged Takakuro's dead body away, leaving me and the girls alone. The two girls shakily walked away, clinging o their towels. I jumped over the wooden fence and followed the guards that had 'Tachi. The next part of my plan was very important. If something went wrong, 'Tachi would be hurt. That was something that I cannot allow.

**XxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**

_Sasuke's P.O.V._

After nearly fifty minutes, they came out, dragging my brother in his disguise. They took him a good mile away form the town and into the forest. And Kakashi and I knew that our target was dead. Their security was very foolish. There were four guards with him, all only wearing towels. Kakashi and I hid in a tree, masking our chakra presence. I saw them tie my redheaded brother to a tree. We weren't close enough to hear them, but reading their lips could be just as good. My brother was a very good actor, I knew that much. He looked frightened, bleeding at the lips where I was sure they hit him.

"You killed our client," one of the guards, the closest to him, said. "Who sent you? Are you from Konoha?"

Itachi looked confused. I saw him shake his head, red hair flailing everywhere. "No, no," he whimpered. "I… I was given money, a lot of money to kill him. I... I swear I didn't know what was going on." I almost smirked, if it wasn't for the slap that followed. Everything was going as planned. Now all Itachi had to do was blame it on Kakashi and wait for said man and I. Though, I didn't mind reading his lips at all. They looked so soft… so tempting.

"Who hired you? Who?!"

"I don't know. He had silver hair. I… I think he was from Konoha."

"Was he wearing a mask? With only one eye showing?"

Itachi looked relief. "Yes! Yes he was."

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Kakashi getting out senbon. He shot them at the guard closest to Itachi with deadly accuracy. I watched as the guard who dared slapped my brother slump down, dead. The other three didn't have time to react. Naruto clones suddenly appeared, taking them by surprise. Kakashi and I dashed over. The guards didn't stand a chance. There was a reason why they were guards instead of fighting out in the field. They were not offenders, but rather, defenders. We made sure to keep one alive, while killing the others. The one that was left alive was younger and seemed less experienced. He seemed only a few years older than me.

It was actually a very impressive plan. Not only did we kill our target, but we got a captive who seemed weak.

I made my way to aniki. He didn't seem scared, not even a little. He was staring at the night sky, just like he did with the anthills. I untied him, something I was sure he could do by himself. His disguise disappeared. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He stood up, grasping his towel. "Hn," he grunted. He glared at me. "Where are my clothes?" he demanded. I handed him his cloths… almost hesitantly.

Wow, he had really, really clear skin. Pale just like the moon.

**XxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**

I gulped loudly. The sliding door in front of me stared at me, laughing at my cowardice. My heart drummed loudly in my chest, almost desperate for a break. I'd have to confront him sooner or later. I needed answers. He was just keeping way too much secrets from me, even when having a case of amnesia. He needed to trust me; he needed to depend on me, instead of keeping everything from me like this. I was deep in my own thoughts and had no time to react when the door slid open and a hand shot out. The hand, slender yet strong, grabbed my roughly around the collar and dragged me in. It was quite merciless, actually.

"Aniki?" I asked. Had he known I was standing there the whole time?

He didn't answer me. Instead, he walked to his bed and sat down. He then settled to giving me a long cold stare. Cold, nervous chills ran up my spine. He knew I knew. I knew he knew I knew. I could tell. Now he was finding entertainment in this confrontation. What a cruel, cruel bastard. I cleared my throat and leaned against the wall next to his bed. But the jokes were over. This was something that I cannot afford to mess around with.

"Why didn't you tell me in the first place?" I started. Yes, a question is always the best way to start an awkward confrontation. "Tell me everything… please, nii-san." There, I used the term 'nii-san', he'll surely tell me everything. And I was right. His eye widened slightly and his shoulders droop. He gestured to his bed, right beside him.

He didn't look directly at me. "You must already know about the experiment?" I grunted in return. "And you must already know of what it does to me, correct?" I nodded. "Then… why are you here?"

I looked away. "I just… needed confirmation. I didn't think it was true. But… why didn't you tell me? Aniki, I'm your brother." Tsk, there was no use pretending to not care anymore.

I sat next to him on the bed. Close enough that if he tried to run, I'd be able to grab him. Just as soon as my butt touched his bed, he pulled at me. He threw me onto his bed and sat on my stomach. The remaining air in my lungs whooshed out of me, leaving me breathless. Hey, he wasn't really heavy, but hell, he wasn't exactly light either. But still, it was great to feel him on me like this….

"If it were you, would you be willing to tell your only sibling that you are able to get pregnant? I am a man too, otouto. This is not something that anyone, much less a man, would be so willing to tell. Do you understand where I am coming from?" he said. "I'm sorry if your pride was wounded." Gees, he didn't have to say it like that.

"Yeah," I wheezed out. "Did it hurt? I'll kill them, I'll kill them all. Just tell me."

He shook his head. I took a deep breath, just to clear my head and sat up. He made a move to get off of me, but I stopped him. I needed to feel him, to know he was real. One thing at a time, that's it. "Aniki, Naruto told me that you were the one that killed our last target. You didn't have to, Naruto could've done it. Are you okay?" He killed someone. He hated violence. He'd rather not fight if he could choose, I knew that.

"No," he replied. "I'm sure I've done it many times before." I couldn't help but wince. He was right though, wasn't he? "And I'm sure I'll do it many times to come."

I stared at him, longer than I should have. I find it very hard to belief that this was the man that killed off my whole family. And after the events that have occurred, I'm sure that there was secret behind the massacre. My aniki would never do something like that without a reason. But I'd have to wait for him to regain his memories. That could take months and it probably will.

But now, I'm not sure if I want the old Itachi back.

I wrapped my arms around his waist. He was sitting on my lap and I would like to keep it that way if I could. Bending forward, I rest my head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his wonderful scent. "What now?" I whispered. I felt him wrap his arms around my head, almost cradling me. I've longed for a time when he would hold me like this. I've longed for a time when I didn't have to hate him. And I don't hate him anymore, but when he remembers again, will I be able to hate him once more?

"Hn. I am not in Iwa any longer. Should all impossibilities become certainties and I have a child, as long as that child is save and within Konoha, then this war will be in our favour. However, I prefer not to have a child that I have to stomach."

"So, if you were to have that child, then it's only for the sake of using it as a weapon?"

"Yes."

"That's cruel. The child could turn out wrong," I said.

"But it'll help us with the war. We do need another sharingan user and the child would be perfect. He would only take a few years to fully grow and from the start, he would already have the mind of an adult. A perfect human weapon."

I narrowed my eyes as he shifted on my lap. "So you do want the child," I stated. Then, a horribly scary thought came to me. "With who?!" I shouted. My grips on him tightened to the point that he squirmed. Oh, things were moving too fast, much too fast. I could barely keep up. First, my killer of a brother lost all his important memories. Then, I started to have forbidden feelings for him. It turns out that it was mutual. Not only that, but he got captured and now he's able to have a baby… morbid as it may sound. And now… now he wants to have that baby, because he wants to end the war. Pft, of course he wants to end the war.

"Are you really willing to bring a child into this world just to use it as a weapon?" I asked. There was no doubt. If he wanted this child, then I would be the one to give it to him. I loved him, I knew that now. I loved him more than anything in this world and I knew that I wouldn't be able to deny him. If he really wanted this child, then I would grant him his wish, because I can't deny him. I couldn't say no to him, not now. I would spoil him. Plus, there was no way in hell that I would let anyone else be the father of his child. No way in hell!

"Yes, it'll be able to fend for itself."

"Aniki, it's a child!" I yelled. "That's a human life. It'll need two good parents and the right training." He didn't answer me. He stared over my head at the wall. Yes, he did want that child. Yes, he was willing and no, I won't be able to deny him his wishes. "Fine," I grunted. "But you have to tell me what else you're hiding from me."

He stared at me some more, before raising his hand and slapping me. Wow, I should so have seen that coming. I would normally get mad, but that was way back. He hurts me a lot nowadays… said something about over powering me. I rolled my eyes. "Alright," I grumbled. I brought him closer to me, our breath mingled. And just like oil and a match, we started fire. I kissed him and he kissed me. It was a touch so simple yet gentle. His lips were cooler than mine, soft and fitting so perfectly into mine. I couldn't resist. I dove in, catching his wandering lips in between my teeth, sucking very hard. I felt his breath hitch. He didn't moan or groan like any other lover would. No, he just sighed, softly and almost silently.

I shifted a little and he shifted with me. The result was a perfect amount of friction. Our growing erections rubbed. I was meant to let out a sound, but instead, I bit his bottom lip. The familiar taste of copper and something else entered my mouth. "Sorry," I whispered. "Sorry." Like a good little brother, I trailed my kisses down south. Through my rough hands, I felt him shiver. He tried to hide it, but I felt it. I bit down on his collarbone and felt him shivered once more. "Don't try to hide it," I said into his neck. God he smelled so damn good! I grabbed his bottom and pulled him in. Our young, clothed erections met and a barely concealed moan escaped him. The sound was absolutely wonderful and sent shivers down my spine.

I felt him grab my shoulders and pushed me away. He looked at me funny. His dark eyes, which were impossibly to read before, now held lust and love, but mostly lust. I smiled when he unconsciously rolled his hips into me, again and again. With enthuse; I moved my hips, meeting his halfway up. It felt good, really good. The friction was amazing. He gave me another weak push. I growled and tightened my grip on his hips. I as sure I left a bruise. He wanted to stop, I knew that, but the stress from the war was getting to me. I wanted to give into him and stop, but I can't. This is a world where there was just me and Itachi. This was the world that I wanted to live in.

"Otouto… stop," he panted. He gave me another weak push, but his hands were shaking. I could almost hear his small heart pumping. "Stop now, otouto," he growled. And I couldn't help but stop. It must have been his voice that stopped me; I was used to doing what that voice says. But still, I couldn't help the confusion from showing on my face. His eyes softened, if only slightly. And when he spoke next, his voice was once again cold and controlled. "I have an ANBU watching me. I do not wish to give him a free show and I'm sure he'd not appreciate it."

Using all the self control I have within me, I strained to stay still. I could feel the veins on my neck and on my forehead throbbing. I never realised how hard it was to not jump my own brother. "You know," I started. "The councils will never approve of you being in this village. They will always be watching you, one way or another."

He awkwardly got off of me. Without him sitting on me, my erection stood proud and tall. "Yes, yes," he mumbled, heading for the door. Without turning to me, he said, "Which is why we are here. Have you forgotten your purpose of being here? Team Hebi has not forgotten and I certainly haven't." He paused and stepped out into the hallway. "They will be watching me, but once I remember again, you are going to kill me and you are going to end it all."

Shock stabbed at me full force. I had forgotten. I was in total denial. My softening erection forgotten, I got up and attempted to go after him. But he was not in the hall way. If my senses were working properly, he was not even in the house anymore. But I couldn't have that. I couldn't have him thinking that once he remembers again, I'm going to kill him. _"But aren't you?"_ I asked myself. _"Wasn't that you intention? You're only drive in life?"_ Well shit; this is some serious crap I've gotten myself into.

I sighed in defeat, tuning out Karin's complaining about fishes or something. I flopped on my bed, me erection surprisingly gone. But I do wonder, will Itachi and I ever go all the way? It wouldn't be surprising if he was somehow nervous… or even wary. After all, if I suddenly lost my memory and met someone who claimed to be my brother… and to participate in a sexual relationship with said person, I **would** be hesitant. It was incest, a sin, a crime. It was forbidden fruit! But then… those are the ones that taste the best…

"Shit!" I swore. I'd come here with the intention of finding out everything that my brother's hiding from me. But I let him get away again. I let him walk right out of this room without saying a word. My brother was hiding things… big things. And he has enough memories to evade my questions. But if he had those kinds of memories… memories of manipulation, then what else does he remember?

Rage flooded through my being. My sharingan spun wildly. My aniki knows more than he was allowed to. And I am going to find out what he knows.

_**XxxXXXxxxXXXxxx**_

_I stared at my hands. Even to me, they seemed small and delicate. But I've seen what these hands can do; I've experienced it up close and personal. Up until now, I'd thought of myself as someone who was normal and just had a case of amnesia; that I was just a man who couldn't remember, but had a caring and loving brother. But that changed, when I was captured. I had been curious… and found out that I was involved in a world so much different from what I thought I knew. _

_I found out that I used to kill, that I was a well known criminal. And at first, I was in utter denial. I felt it in me. I felt the serenity, the calm and the peace that dwelled in me. The very thoughts of violence and chaos sent me shuddering. So how could I possibly be a killer? I couldn't believe it… I wouldn't believe it. But how could I deny it from someone whose memories were fine? Either way, I didn't care. If I couldn't remember it, then I wouldn't feel it. So I lived. I followed the flow that destiny set for me. However, I wouldn't ever expect to somehow, fall in love with my own brother. _

_From the very first moment that I saw him, I felt it. I felt it through and through my very being what he meant to me. When he strangled me, when he hurt me, I had been all too willing to let him do as he pleased. If I had died, I wouldn't complain as long as it was him. Sasuke, the one that my heart beats for. The one that I knew I lived for. _

_That is why I cannot lose to this losing battle. I refuse to die by anyone or anything's hands but my brother. If I were to die, it would all be for otouto or by otouto. This consuming disease cannot eat at me. It could hurt me and make me cough up blood, but it cannot kill me. If I cannot die by this killing disease, then I will not die by this growing blindness also. _

_All the signs were there. This blindness, this disease, this womb that was throbbing in me; they were signs that I was not meant to be. I was not meant to be alive, I knew it now. I have cheated death too many times. And soon enough, death was going to take me on a dance… a dance that I would not be able to end. An eternal dance with death… and I was all too prepared, if death was my little brother. _

I walked into the hospital, heading for the Hokage's office. It was time for my check up. Yuuhi Kurenai glided pass me, nodding to me as if I was not a threat anymore. My eyes went to her large stomach. Resting in there is the child of Sarutobi Asuma. I don't remember much of him, but he was the one that fought against my partner in crime. I passed the large front door and made my way up. The familiar smell of the hospital greeted my sense. Nurses and medic rushed pass me, attending to the shinobi who protect them.

And now it makes me wonder… how is Kisame doing without me? Has he quit Akatsuki, I wonder? After all, I was his only reason for staying.

Speaking of Akatsuki, when will they come for the Kyuubi?

Memories slowly flooded me.

* * *

YAY! An update! Ha I don't have much to say, but the last few paragraphs in Italic were very important. They were, obviously, from Itachi's point of view. And the last two sentences were very, very suggestive.

**Next up: Yaoi!!! **That, by the way, is not the name of the next chapter. There's just gonna be yaoi.  
Haaa, I'm so happy! My plot is finally beginning to move! Think what you will about this chapter, just as long as you enjoy it!

**For all the people who have been reviewing for so long, thank you sooo much! You guys are the best!**  
I really appreciate your reviews!

Alright, that's all. **Read, Enjoy and Review!**


	17. Chapter 16

Title: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi and in this chapter; a little bit of Naruto/Itachi.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A.N: I am about to start another long-shot called "My Days with the Reaper" it's a Naruto/Itachi fic. Look our for it.

**Memories**

Otouto wasn't pleased with me. After that night, there was a silence between us. I wasn't sure what it means, but if he was avoiding me, then I shall avoid him. Uchihas were silent by nature, or so I've read, so nobody suspected anything was going wrong. The harsh cold winter was passing by quickly, warmth was settling in, but the war raged on. And I could only ache as I wonder how such simple matters turned into this. All around me, I see death, I see blood… I see what the end of one's live was. Never have I ever expected to wake up one morning covered in blood.

I felt it in my very being. This longing for peace, for serenity and for solitude was eating at me. My heart ached when I walked into the hospital and was greeted with blood and moans of pain. And I wanted nothing but to end it all. And there was only one way now. Deep, deep inside me, I felt **him**. He who was powerful and unstoppable, he who was feared and well known; I felt him. Despite what I wanted, despite what I needed, this monster loomed in me, waiting for my memories to come back once more. When the time comes, he will be reborn. And I will end the war. After all, I started it, did I not?

"'Tachi?" I heard. "Are you going to finish your bowl? It's getting cold." Ah, yes. How could I forget the presence of my sun? This boy who was bright and cheerful, powerful and untameable… he who lit up my day. "Are you okay?"

My eyes unconsciously softened. He had been dear to me; I felt it even if I don't remember it. I shook my head. "I'm fine," I pushed my bowl of ramen towards him. "You can have it." His eyes shone comically as he stared at the bowl. I hadn't been aware that I was smiling until he stared at me. He took the bowl and ate his ramen.

"You should smile more often, 'Tachi," he said. Slurp. "It makes me feel good to see you smile." I smiled more at his kind words. I find it very admirable that he was able to turn into such a wonderful person after all the he went through. He had the Kyuubi in him and was shunned, but he never shunned anyone in return. It was at this point that I wonder how I could ever hurt him. I don't remember hurting him, but I knew I did. And I could only wonder how.

"You're very kind, Naruto-kun," I said. A small blush showed on his face. I find it very endearing. We finished our lunch in silent. He stood up and waited for me. "You have your mission now?" I asked. He nodded enthusiastically. I stood from my wooden stool and looked at him. The sight of his lips greeted me. He was taller than me! Just like my _little_ brother. What were they feeding kids these days? Or was it just me?

"I'll walk you to your gate," I stated.

Our walk was not in silence. Naruto-kun filled me in on what was going on. I have heard of people talking and saying that he was annoying and unpleasant. Even otouto said so. But I could not understand. I do not understand what they were implying. I find it very pleasant. I could listen to Naruto-kun all day long. His voice was rough and deep, loud and boisterous. But I find it very pleasant. I wouldn't mind at all if I had to listen to him talk.

"And you know, now that the sun's come out, even if it's still cold, it'll give me power," he went on. "It sounds weird, but I feel much more powerful now that the sun came out again. I'll be able to kick bad guys' asses!" I chuckled quietly. I wanted to laugh, but it just wouldn't come out. My body was used to suppressing emotions.

I wonder what Otouto was doing right now?

We reached the two gigantic gates. The Kanji of fire and leaves painted proudly over the huge gates. Guards stood tensely over the gates at the sight of me. Their gazes were no longer out to the forest, but were now on me. I almost smiled at the irony. Should a fight occur, they would not have to worry about me. No, they would have to worry about the blond future Hokage next me. Should they attack me, I would not fight them; I would let them, because just the thoughts of hurting them disgusted me. No, I would stand still, but I cannot guarantee anything from Naruto-kun. From the corners of my eyes, I saw him tense up. His tan skin almost glittered in the presence of the long forgotten sun.

Here, now, Naruto-kun was… beautiful…

"Well," he started, "I'm just waiting for Kiba and Neji. They're my team for this mission… so; you don't have to wait… if you don't want to." I watched silently as he scratched the back of his head. It was a habit, I noticed, that he does when he was in an awkward position. However, I can see clearly that he didn't want me to go. I shook my head. He knew what it meant. I saw as his eyes brightened, a large grin spread across his face.

WOOF! The sound of a loud bark hit my eardrums. A wolf, no, a dog, sprinted down the street way, carrying a man on his back. Akamaru, if I remember the name right. I watched from aside as the man hoped off his dog and ran to Naruto-kun, punching him square in the face. Horror ran through me. I ran as fast as I could and stood in front of Naruto-kun, attempting to protect him with my smaller body. I don't understand; why is he punching Naruto-kun? Were they not friends? Naruto-kun said so.

Kiba stared at me funny. I didn't glare at him, he was Naruto-kun's friend, I won't hurt him. However, if he didn't give me a reasonable answer as to why he hurt Naruto-kun, then I won't guarantee my actions. A large, calloused hand landed on my shoulder, turning me slightly. "'Tachi, its okay," I heard. "He's just playing around. I'm okay, really." Akamaru barked at his master's defence. I ignored everything else and turned to Naruto-kun. His bruise was healing, faster than what was normal. Ah, it must be the Kyuubi.

A cough sounded from behind us. Neji stood there, looking tall and proud. From what I've read, the Hyuuga were long, long ancestors of Sharingan users. However, I saw no resemblance whatsoever… except, perhaps, the pale skin and the arrogance.

"It's time to go," he stated. He nodded politely in my direction. Even with my limited knowledge, I knew that this combination was a very strange team. What mission could possible need two trackers and a limitless energy source? But, this was not my place to question the decisions of the Hokage's most trusted strategists. I'm sure that they've thought things through. No harm would come to Naruto-kun.

I watched silently as they took off. What confused me the very most, was the aching that followed after Naruto-kun left. And it was after the sun has set, three hours of standing at the gates, did I realise that it was similar to what I feel when otouto leaves for his missions. With shaky breaths and weak legs, I turned and headed for my house. I need not look at where I was going; I knew the way. I remembered carrying my otouto on my back as I walked down this lane. But something was wrong with that piece of memory. That memory should have been bright and happy, but I felt a horrifying ache at that time.

And I knew… the family massacre had so much more behind it.

I opened the door to my house, patiently waiting for my memories to flood me.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

As it turned out, otouto left for a mission without telling me. But I didn't complain. He was sent as back up for Naruto-kun's team, so they'll keep each other safe. Karin had prepared a bowl of miso soup and some leftover curry for me. She and Juugo had already eaten. Juugo had gone to his room, grading tests from his class. The thought had me at ease. Sometimes, I wished that I had Juugo's job. But sometimes, even Juugo was called to the front line.

"Baby," Karin started. She didn't need to say more, I knew what she wanted. I nodded. She jumped up in joy, pushing her glasses up her nose. She got behind me, behind my chair and took out my hair band. My long hair cascaded down my shoulders as I ate. I relaxed as she gently played with my hair. "You need a hair cut," she stated. "It's getting really, really long. I'll do it for you, baby. I have tomorrow morning off, I'll do it then." I nodded, taking a sip of my miso soup. It was good. The hotness drained down my throat, warming up my body.

"Itachi-baby, do you remember anything yet?" The simple question sent jolts of chills down my spine. She continued to play with my hair and I knew that she didn't mean to upset me, not that she did. "I think Sasuke-kun is suspicious. I mean, for someone who doesn't remember anything, you sure don't act like it."

"Yes," I answered. "I remember certain unimportant things. Nothing that otouto would want to know."

"Oh."

I let her do what she pleases, until I couldn't stand it anymore. The silence, the loneliness; I cannot stand it. I stood up, politely nodding to Karin. "I am going out. I wish to do a mission." I went into my room and changed. A simple black, three quarters shirt and black slacks. I geared my equipments up and headed out. The pot of roses that my brother gave to me caught my eyes. There were four little buds of roses, young and yet to bloom. The winter was passing really fast; soon it'll be able to get some sunlight. And right next to the dark pot was the vase containing the Forget Me Nots.

The two simple flowers sent waves of warmth to my stomach. I stared a little longer at them. My room smells of the roses, reminding me of the amounts of passion that my otouto poured into me. But it was time to go. I cannot stay in a house without otouto or Naruto-kun. I went out the window, heading to the Hokage tower. Karin would retire to bed soon. And now, I admit that I, very slightly, miss Suigetsu.

The night was young. Dim lamps lit the street. Ninjas littered the rooftops; doing everything they can to protect the vulnerable citizens. I travelled by the roofs also. The passing shinobis gave me wary looks, but they were used to me by now. None dared approach me. Behind me I felt the ANBU shadow me. He was there, he was there through everything. Without a doubt, I knew that he knew I was slowly remembering. He knew that my time with my beloveds was coming to an end.

I wonder why he hadn't said a word to anyone yet.

"Good evening," I said to the two guards at the door. They nodded to me. They were used to me coming around for missions. I entered the mission room. Shikamaru was the only one I saw. He sat behind the desk, with bags under his eyes and hair messy. His skin was unusually pale and he looked about to drop dead. Pity and worry began to swell in me. He needed to get out, I'll see to it. "I need a mission," I demanded. There was no use beating around bushes.

He sighed, slumping further down his chair. "Yeah," he said. "I knew you'd come. I got you one." He held up a scroll, no doubt containing the information. "I'm coming with you. I need to get out, plus, you're much too aware of things. It could get dangerous." He stood up, bending backwards and popping his bones. He didn't apologise for being rude, I was not offended. Shikamaru was smart; he knew what he was doing. Plus, getting him to go out was my intention as well.

Without further a due, we headed out. It turned out that Shikamaru was already prepared. The ANBU trailed behind us, doing his best to hide his presence. Once I was physically out of the village, my shoulders became less tense and my body began to act. Anticipation ran through me as my breathing became easier. I have never felt more alive… or at least, that's what I remembered. I saw the same effect on Shikamaru. Despite his laziness, this was one mission that he was glad to be on. We then took to the trees, thirty metres above ground.

Our mission was very simple. Disappointingly, there wasn't to be any action. We were to collect reports from the nearby camps. "This mission is very bland," I commented. I had grown to hate silence. "It's very boring." Shikamaru gave me a funny look, almost analysing me. I raised an eyebrow at him. "What is it?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I think you've been hanging around Naruto too much," he answered.

My mood took a _**dangerous**_ swing. I felt unnecessary annoyance. "What are you saying?" I snapped. "Are you implying that Naruto-kun is a bad influence?" I paused, waiting for his answer. One wrong word and I could hurt him.

He narrowed his eyes, aware of his position. "No, it was just a statement. You **have** been hanging around him too much. You know, people are still wary of you. They're on edge, especially when they know that you used to be with Akatsuki."

Overwhelming anger took over. I do not understand. Why was I angry? He did not do anything wrong. Why are my emotions running wild? "But… the villagers would love that, would they not? They have shunned Naruto-kun. They'll be glad that he's gone. They are ungrateful, unaware of the things he does for their sakes! Why should they care if he was in danger?" I panted, digging my head for more harmful words. Confusion clouded my mind. I would jump to Naruto-kun's defence, I knew that, but I was being irrational.

"Yeah, they did, but they are finally seeing the real Naruto. He's winning them over slowly," he said. I felt more than saw the ANBU listening in. He was listening, he was agreeing. "You sound like you know Naruto pretty good. You remember him?" And I knew the reason why he wanted to come along. I wanted to laugh at myself, of course, how could I have not seen this coming? He was Shikamaru. Everything that was going on was all planned out by him.

Ah! Now I remember him. Nara Shikamaru. I have never personally encountered him, but he was a comrade of my target. Nara Shikamaru, the only one to become a chuunin after Orochimaru's invasion.

I masked my face. It would be very fatal if someone knew that I was remembering.

My mood took another swing. "I apologise," I started. "I did not mean to be rude to you. Naruto-kun is my friend; I would defend him, no doubt." I decided to lie. "I do not recall any memory of Naruto-kun before all this." Suddenly, I was **so very** bored. "Come, let us travel faster. I wish to be home by morning. I'm going to get a hair cut." Without waiting for his lazy reply, I sped up.

I heard him mutter something to himself. "Tsk, stupid mood swings… just like that blond woman."

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

There were twelve camps in this side of the frontier. Twelve reports to collect and no action whatsoever. I find it very disturbing that I would lust after violence. But without a doubt, I knew that it was in my nature. It wasn't something that I wanted, but it was something that was engraved into me. Violence was in my nature; peace was what I wanted. "How many more to go?" I asked the lazy chuunin. I do admit that I haven't been paying attention.

I blame this on otouto and Naruto-kun. They were the ones who took my working mind with them.

The chuunin sighed. "Seven," he answered. "Don't get so bored yet. The chances of us encountering a squad form Iwa or Kumo are 89%. More than likely, we will get some action tonight. Not that I see why you would want action at all… troublesome guy…"

I gave him a brittle glare. Despite the war that was going on, I find everything to be so very bland. This only gave the impression that this was not the first war that I was involved in. The only things I look forward to are Naruto-kun and Sasuke… and my hair cut. And then, very suddenly, I had the urge to talk to my ANBU. I turned to Shikamaru. "I want to talk to my ANBU," I said. Of course, I wasn't really surprised when he gave me a funny look. I swear, my moods are going haywire.

"You can't do that. He's just meant to observe you."

I raised an eyebrow, jumping onto another higher branch. "By talking to me, his task of observation would be much more efficient. I'm sure he'd understand," I couldn't help the smirk from blooming on my face. It always feels good to outsmart a member of the Nara clan. From what I remember, Nara men were lazy with an IQ unimaginably high. However, this was countered by their laziness. But their shared trait lies in their attraction towards bossy, loud women.

My, yes mine, ANBU landed on the branch to my right, keeping up with our speed. We were heading to our next location to collect the sixth report. I ignored my mission, however, in order to have a polite conversation with my ANBU. I'm feeling strangely possessive this evening. "Good evening," I started. I'm very interested in what he would be like. "How are you this fine day?" Of course, I was being extremely polite. Mother and Father drilled politeness into me by the age of four.

I didn't expect him to really answer, so I jumped when he did. "I'm well, thank you." I find his voice to be quite alluring. It was quiet and deep, mysterious and husky. Although I feel like I was describing my brother. "What do you wish to speak to me about?"

I shrugged. My mood took a swing that landed me in a position that made me feel pretty arrogant. Actually… I wouldn't be surprised if I suddenly broke down and cried, wailing for my beloveds. Beloveds… there are two? Ah, they must be my brother and Naruto-kun. I blinked rapidly, willing my mind to sort it out. The world began to spin, the dark trees moved away from my feet. And before I knew it, I was free falling, dangerously fast towards the ground. And yet, I couldn't bring my body to stop the fall. I guess this is going to be the only action I'm getting tonight.

The next time I came to and my eyes focused, I was in the arms of my ANBU. I breathed heavily through my mouth. I didn't need to question myself what had happened. It was during my fall towards earth that some of my memories decided to attack my head. With my head overloaded with forgotten information, I clutched painfully at my ANBU's shoulders. Under me I heard him grunt in pain. My nails piercing his skin. I saw Shikamaru pause, saw that I was okay and turned to once again jump ahead. Nevertheless my ANBU never let go of me.

"Ugh," I accidentally let out a groan. But neither of my companions stopped to look at me. They knew I would be fine. My mood swing took a break and my head cleared. I suspect that these reactions were because of that cursed womb in my stomach, pulsing for my attention. Tsk, to think that I'd let myself be made a fool of like this. I fidgeted in the arms of my ANBU until he let me down. A few more campsites and we'd be able to go home. Then I would be able to see my beloved again.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I had earlier decided that my brother was in a curious yet lustful mood. Of course, I'd decided this as soon as he grabbed me and dragged me to his room, locking the door and ravishing me on the spot. But then, I wasn't exactly complaining. I knew that I should've stopped it before it went any further. However, during the time that I hadn't known him as my brother, I had fallen in love with him. I had foolishly and blindly fallen for this selfish, short-tempered, possessive jerk.

Judging by the eagerness and the rough grabbing, I'd concluded that we won't be able to stop tonight. Well, it wasn't exactly night considering that it's three in the morning. But all rational thoughts flew out the window the moment his lips crashed upon mine. That… was how we ended up in this suggestive position. I sighed in content as his tongue played with my nipple. A heated cloud hung over my mind, preventing me from thinking properly. Otouto can have such an affect on me.

It's almost shameful how one touch can start fire on me.

"You're very eager," I commented. I tightened my grip on the headboard as he trailed his kisses further down. He paused, looking at me strange, before coming up and stealing a kiss. The kiss, in itself, was short and brief. But there was so much love and adoration that I couldn't stop him. And it was in that kiss that I completely forgot about the womb in my stomach.

"Ngh," I grunted from under him. It was very difficult to breathe with a bigger man on top. While all the same, my hands tugged at his pants. I absolutely refuse to be the only one naked. I shuddered in delight when I felt his throbbing erection on my thigh. I'm glad that I was able to affect him so. He stood up suddenly, out of my reach. I stopped in my track to complaining when I saw that he was finally naked.

If family pride did not stand in my way, I was sure to drool a lot.

"Like what you see?" He teased.

"Of course," I answered; there was no point in lying. I was pleased when he was back on top of me. He once again set task to trailing kisses and bites down my neck and body. My hands tangled themselves in his hair. My toes curled in pleasured. Of course, only he would be able to make me into a wobbly mess like this. "Haa," I arched into his touch. I wanted to feel him. When he does, and he will, find out about the truth, I wasn't sure if touching him would be possible anymore.

"Aniki," he groaned. The sound and the word was a bad combination, but my crotch twitched anyways. I jumped in a start when I felt his long fingers on my member. It's been such a long time since I was engaged in any sexual activities. And having Sasuke, my beloved, on top of me, just like Madara had been, only made things more complicated. How could two very different souls look so alike?

I felt him tug and pull at my member, pleasuring me non-stop. Slowly and steadily, the rest of my memories flowed into me. But I ignored them; I dismissed them like they were nothing. I didn't want anything to come between my brother and me at this moment. I looked longingly at my otouto. His head was in between my legs, placing loving kisses down my thighs while his hand continued to pleasure my leaking member. I find the sight very pleasurable… no doubt. It seemed that my foolish little brother has finally grown up… but not quite enough just yet.

And then, very abruptly, something began to change.

"Haa."

I wasn't exactly sure what it was, but if I had to guess, I would guess that it was my brother's control slipping. His eyes darkened, if possible, and his touches became much more passionate. I had felt it all along. My brother had taken everything within him not to hurt me, not to take me against my will. But now, that control was no more. He wasn't holding back anymore and I wasn't about to stop him.

He came back up and kissed me. His tongue glided over my lips, asking, demanding an entrance. I complied. Our tongues engaged in a sloppy dance, neither willing to stop. His tongue sent hot tingles at every touch. All of a sudden, he pulled back and dived at my marked neck. All the while he nibbled at my body, trailing dangerously low. I felt his large, hot length poking at my thigh, leaking at the head and smearing cum on my leg.

"Suck," he commanded, placing three fingers at my lips. I opened my mouth, welcoming the rough fingers. When on earth had my brother out grown me physically? It must be all the calcium from when he was little, I just knew it was. I ran my tongue along his digits, wetting them with my saliva. Otouto's fingers were very sensitive, if his groaning had anything to do with it. I knew what was to come next… but I couldn't find the will to stop it. Mostly because my thoughts flew out the window.

He took his fingers out and placed them at my entrance. He nuzzled his head at the crook of my shoulder. "I don't think I can stop," he whispered. I knew he was trying to control himself, but apparently that was quite impossible. I wrapped my arms around his head and back, cradling him, protecting him, just like always. As a sign to assure him, I spread my legs further apart and rolled up into him. And that… was how I got rid of his last bit of control.

Two fingers; he inserted two fingers instead of one. The action took me by surprise, so I didn't have time to stop my gasp. But I guessed that it was what he wanted all along; to get me to react openly. "You," I hissed, but nothing else came out. The long forgotten burning in my behind distracted me. I unconsciously quenched around his fingers, earning myself another groan. Then I felt him move, in and out and scissoring his fingers. Before long he added the last finger; the third one. Pain turned into pleasure. I rocked against him. I needed him to fill me, as only he can do so.

However, he continued to stretch me. For the first time in a long time, annoyance bugged me. He and Madara were so much alike; taking too damn long to stretch me. "Hurry up," I hissed, digging my nails into his shoulders. I felt him smirk into my neck.

"Alright, but don't complain to me when you can't walk tomorrow."

That comment had me groaning in want. He took his fingers out, leaving me empty. My temporarily pain was rewarded when I felt his large, hot tip pressing into me. He was large, he was hot and he was going all the way in. I tensed, my nails digging dangerously into his shoulders as he tightened his grips on my legs, slung over his shoulders. I arched into him, wanting all of him in me. My own hard erection twitched, leaking and reddening for attention. Through my inner walls, I felt his member pulsing.

He pulled out all the way and slammed back in. I felt his balls grinding against my bottom.

"Ngh!" I gasped. A violent shudder ran through me. I felt him through and through, deep and strong. My skin tingled where he had touched. And my little brother's very being beckoned to me. I yearned for him. This man that I love so much; this boy that I had killed thousands for… this foolish little brother of mine; there wasn't a thing in the world that I wouldn't do for him.

He picked up his rhythm. "Ngh… Aniki…" he groaned. I whimpered at his sounds. He sped up once more, gaining speed. He continued to the point that he was almost pounding into me. With each wild thrust, I felt his control slip. He broke his rhythm and his thrusts became frenzy. I clutched onto him tighter. "You're so… tight!" he grunted. His long, hard member drilled into me, driving me crazy.

"S-Sasuke!" I yelled, arching into him, spreading my legs wider just for him. I had been so very close to my release. So when he abruptly stopped, when he froze on the spot, one could only imagine what I must've felt. And so I failed to stop the loud, needy wail that ripped from my throat. I gritted my teeth together and turned my head to the side, unconsciously bucking up to my sibling. My breaths were uneven and my legs wrapped themselves around his waist.

"You said my name," he whispered, sounding awfully shocked. I forced myself to stop bucking up to him and gave him a barely confused look. I watched as his eyes softened and an adoring look came over him. My fluttering heart beat in excitement. It has been a long time since someone gave me that look. "I've never heard you say my name." He started thrusting into me once more, slow and soft at first. "You've always called me otouto or little brother, but never my name," he ended his sentence with a thrust that met my bundle of nerves. I arched into him again.

He leaned in, growling hungrily into my ear, "Say it again." I could not resist that needy voice. And so, with every thrust that tickled my prostate, I rewarded him with a moan of his name. He must have felt my muscles tightened, ready for my long awaited release. He clutched his slightly longer arms tighter around me, holding on tight; almost afraid to let go.

"Come Itachi," he growled. "Come for me." I clenched tightly around his length, my walls feeling every touch that he left. My balls tightened, my stomach tightened… and I came hard, only whispering Sasuke's name in warning.

"Sasukeee…," I arched, my thighs tightened their hold on the bigger man's waist. I felt him thrust a few more times, before bitting harshly into my neck and releasing his fluid deep into me, marking me. He panted, collapsing onto me, yet never letting me go. However, he was bigger, begrudgingly; I was having hard time breathing. I rolled both of us over, using the last bit of my remaining energy. I was on top now, so I pulled him out. Forgetfully, I did not get suspicious when not enough of his fluid leaked out of me.

"Sleep," he mumbled, pulling me close. And I was not able to resist. His slightly larger body held me tight, not willing to let go anytime soon. I fell asleep, holding my beloved little brother protectively. Time was an essence. It is unpredictable what time I will have left with my brother. One day he would find out that I have remembered once more… and then he would let me go, he would once again hate me… … …

… … And I would not be able to stand his hate this time.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I was glowing. I knew it; I felt it and I've even seen it. Otouto was on yet another mission, but he'll be sure to be back by noon. I could not wait, but I must. Otouto absolutely forbade my on going on a mission higher than B-class without him. And yet, I was fine with that. It showed me that he cared… and I planned to enjoy these tender feelings while they lasted.

Each day, every time he was alone with me, he would shower me with caring kisses and loving embraces. Those had been beloved times, but I had to temporarily step out of that fantasy. Yes, I supposed that it made sense that I was living a fantasy; one that could end anytime.

He had sent a message to me earlier. The message itself was small and simple, but I knew whom it was from. It had been such a very long time that my heart jumped in excitement at the thought of seeing him again. I panted in exhaustion. I had spent the majority of my energy running and finally losing my ANBU. If I was correct, which I was, he would be somewhere near the Hokage Monument. It was a pleasant feeling to finally be free, if only for a moment.

I went to the lake, where I had been four years ago, with my partner. It was the lake where we had encountered Asuma-san, Kurenai and Kakashi. And it was here that we battled. The lake was as it had been, blue and bright, instantly reminding me of my beloved blond. But now was not the time to think about my ties to this village.

I skidded to a stop, my sandals creating a few markings on the ground. He was sitting on the ground, eating a large stick of dango and sipping a, no doubt, stolen cup of tea. His massive sword, which had been taller than me for a few years, stood at his side, like a loyal companion. Despite his sitting position, I could see that he was still so big. My legs carried me over to him, my eyes never leaving him. And it was now that I wondered how I could ever forget him… even if for a moment.

"Oh!" he let out, quickly scrambling to his feet. Just like all the other times, he towered over me, blocking the sun from my view. "Um… you came, does this mean that you remember me?" He scratched his head with a sheepish look. I wonder do he and Naruto-kun somehow have a family connection. "I mean, I left it in a code, but I was pretty sure that you wouldn't remember how to figure it out."

"Then… why did you leave it?" I asked, almost in a whisper.

His eyes softened, yet they tightened into depthless holes at the same time. "I had to try," he answered. "I had to make sure. I just had to see for myself. I just don't wanna believe that you forgot about me." My heart skipped a beat. I love this man; not as much as I love Naruto-kun and certainly not as a lover, but rather, as the man that took me under his wings and gave me a home. I had been much stronger than him, but he had been stronger in a way that I thought I'd never be able to.

"What would you do if I hadn't decoded your message?" I stepped closer to him. But not too close; I didn't want to break my neck trying to look up at him.

He twitched. "Well, I was going to wait for at least two days. Then I guess I'll just leave," his eyes suddenly brightened. "But you're here now, you remember me!" Here he stepped closer, riding the extra space between us and picked me up off the ground. "Come on. You're not Akatsuki anymore, we can go. We'll start somewhere new, just like you dreamed, remember?" His dark, narrowed eyes were painfully hopeful.

I stared at him for a while longer. Of course, how could I have forgotten? I had been Kisame's only reason for staying in Akatsuki. He had planned to flee long ago, but he could not possibly leave me. He had foolishly grown too attached to me. And I had blindly, quite literally, grown too caring of people. But…….. I was not done here. I have many things to take care off. Actually, I hadn't planned on being alive right now, but who was I to question fate. I shook my head, my eyes never leaving his.

He sighed, shaking his head. "You're never going to rest, are you?"

"I do," I answered. "I sleep and eat. Occasionally I would meditate and stare into space."

I watched satisfyingly as his eyebrow twitched. "Itachi, when you were alive, you had your brother and the village to take care of. Then you planned to die and finally rest in peace, but you end up not dieing. Now you're still alive… and you have more things to take care of. When will you rest?" I was slightly touched by his caring.

"Not long… not long," I mumbled. "I've cheated death three times too many, I'm sure not to do a fourth one." I looked him in the eye. "But I cannot leave this place now. Actually, I plan on finishing up and dieing a brave, heroic death after giving a very inspirational speech. It's a very simple plan; I'm sure I'll follow through." If there was anyone whom I could even remotely joke with, it would be Kisame. It would be with him that I could express my emotions through anything but death and burning villages.

I watched silently as my huge partner turned, stepping onto the lake and hurried away. "Fine, but hurry up about it. I can't wait forever, you know." I smiled a small smile. I knew that was a lie. Kisame had told me once that he would wait for eternity for me if he had to. And I knew he would.

I stood frozen on the spot several hours after my partner left. I knew he would understand. He would wait for me. And during that time, he would play his role in the Akatsuki. I turned, ready to go back home and wait for my beloveds to come home. But a taller, broader chest stopped me in my track. An orange cover blocked my view. "Hmm… interesting. Was that an old friend of yours, Itachi?"

I took a calm step backwards. Hatake Kakashi was not a threat to me. I could immediately dispose of him and nobody would suspect me, but he was precious to many people who are precious to **me**. "Hatake-san," I mumbled. I didn't gasp or make a sound as he tugged my left arm and slammed me against a near by tree. I made no move as I felt the cold edge of a kunai pressed against my throat. How easily I could have escaped. "I hope this isn't what you do daily," I commented. I was in the mood to piss someone off. It's been a long time.

He stayed pressed against me, unmoving. He clicked his tongue in annoyance before stepping away from me. "I'll have a talk to you later, Uchiha," he said. "But I have more important news to tell you, though I don't know why you would care at all. Naruto and Sasuke came back form their mission," dread slowly flooded me. "They were ambushed. Kyuubi took control for a few hours. Just thought you'd want to know. But I'm not sure that that was such a good idea on my behalf."

"Hn," I grunted. I didn't stay to hear anymore of his nonsense. Naruto-kun was in pain.

And as I raced to the busy hospital, racing to be near my two most beloveds, I ignored the violent pulsing in my stomach.

After all; this was not the right time to bring a child into the world.

* * *

There you go, people! An update just for you!  
Thank you so very much for your faithful reviews.

Don't sway, just pray; Trouble blows your way.

Next chapter is going to be abit angsty, if I could help it.

Please, please review. I didn't get as much on my last chapter, which is strange.

Read it, enjoy it and do review.


	18. Chapter 17

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I really don't own Naruto the series. Do I need to say anymore?

**A.N: Thank you so much to the people who've reviewed chapter after chapter. I love you guys!**

**Aftermath **

He was covered in thick bandages. They wrapped around him again and again, soaking up blood and stopping anymore from coming out. The only part of him that was not covered was his face. I couldn't help but feel like I've seen this scene before. But… this was the dobe; him ending up in a hospital was not surprising. My injuries were not as bad, but that was because I had no demon to take control of. I had a few burns and stab wounds, but nothing that I've never had before.

I wasn't exactly concerned for the Dobe. I knew he would get better. He was not going down without living his dream first. No, my mind was more occupied by my brother. We had sex the night before. And now that I've tasted him, I wanted to take more. I want to grab him, throw him down and kiss him head to toe. But then, I could probably blame most of my injuries on my beloved. He was the one that was no my mind when I was fighting, after all.

"Otouto," I heard. I looked up. My brother glided towards me, Kakashi trailing close behind. He was not in his usual light yukata, but rather, the clothes that he wore under his Akatsuki cloak. But I paid little mind to that fact. I was more concentrated on the way that he carried himself. He, some how, seemed more confident and held himself as one would when they knew that nothing could harm them. Had he, during my absence, remembered something? I hissed under my breath and shied away from those trains of thoughts.

"Naruto-kun?" he asked. I cringed. Why would he ask for that Dobe before he asked about me? Had they bonded further while I was away? Jealousy stabbed at my heart. But I wasn't stupid. This was not the time to be so.

I tilted my head towards the emergency double doors. "He's in there. Don't worry aniki, he'll be fine. He always is," I said. Oh, how I wanted to get up and hold onto him tight. I can slightly see the bite marks that I left on him. "What about you? Are you still sore?" And that… was how I found out that I've been catching onto Naruto's stupidity.

Kakashi coughed awkwardly, hiding his blush behind his book.

My aniki showed no signs of reaction. But I could see hallow at his throat, straining not to hurt me too bad. The show only made him look all the more delicate. Compared to any other men, he looked shorter. It wasn't because we were overly tall people, but rather because he inherited our mother's gene. He suddenly smiled; which wasn't that pleasant considering the situation. "I'm fine, thank you. Though, I think you were much too enthused last night. I think your bed might be broken. Shall I buy you another one?"

Kakashi and I gawked as he glided past us, no doubt intending on seeing to his precious Naruto-kun's health. Pft… lucky Dobe.

I took my eyes off of my angel when I heard perverted snickering from beside me. I twitched. "Hehehe, you obviously have no experience, Sasuke," Kakashi mocked. But I couldn't help but feel that he's presence felt too mysterious. He was obviously trying to hide something form me. Damn it! Everybody was hiding something!

"Pft, yeah, well… coming from you that's no surprise," I replied. Damn the pervert!

"Ooh, touché," he mumbled, following me while I was following my beloved. I silently opened the white, tense door. Naruto's large grin greeted me. God! Just watching him smile makes my cheeks hurt. He had only but a few flower bouquets from his many friends, but they had little time with the war brewing trouble our way. The dobe himself was covered in thick, white bandages, almost head to toe. But he didn't seem to be in any sort of pain. Which was quite unsurprising.

"Hn, back in the hospital bed I see," I teased. His large grin disappeared and was replaced by a furious and embarrassed pout. This was definitely the reaction that I was hoping for.

"Yeah?" he half yelled. "Well at least I'm in here from the battle, not from a cold like someone I know!"

That definitely wiped the smirk off my face. I would've retorted, but the small, relief smile from my aniki stopped me. Kakashi and I could only watch as my most beloved silently fussed over the blond. It made me realise that I would not be the only one that he loved. I saw that he cared and loved for the Dobe very much… almost to the point that I should feel threatened. But the Dobe wouldn't do it to me. My best friend would never deliberately take my lover… and brother away from me. He would tease and joke, but he loved Itachi enough not to take him away.

And that was how the four of us spent the next two hours. My brother would ask Naruto what happened, although he'd probably already concluded the situation by himself. Really, my brother just knew much more than he let on. I should probably be disturbed… or wary, but I couldn't find it in me to look at him the wrong way. All I wanted to do was grab him and drag him out of there, bring him home and throw him onto my bed. And from then… well…

"Brother?" I snapped out of my daydreaming. "Come, we have to go. Naruto-kun needs his rest." Sending the idiot a warning glare that said, 'He's mine' I followed my beloved. Ironic; a few months ago, he was the one following me around, now it was I who followed like a lost puppy.

"What have you been doing today, Nii-san?" He hesitated in his steps, before continuing. I smirked as I followed him home. I knew the effects I had on him. I knew what one touch from me could do to him. But then… one touch form him can be just as dangerous. I glared at the idiots who stopped and looked at us. One would think that they'd be used to two Uchihas in one village by now.

"The usual, I'm sure you know," he answered.

"You never answered me. Are you still sore?" Concern itched inside of me, begging for satisfaction. Though… I couldn't help but feel like I was forgetting something very important.

"Quite," he quietly answered, dodging the civilians. "But nothing I wouldn't be able to handle."

My cheeks warmed a bit. I admit that I had been a bit too excited last night. But how could I have helped myself? To me, last night, he had been one beautiful god that I thought I could never have. And then, all of a sudden, I had him under me. From then, everything I did was out of my control. "Sorry," I mumbled. And yet… I couldn't help the tingling sensation under my pants. Well it wasn't my fault. That brother of mine was just too damn sexy for his own good.

The silence after that stretched on. We ignored the stupid gazes that the villagers sent our way. So I was surprised when I heard my brother mutter to himself. "I never expected to encounter two wars in a life time. It's certainly a troubling thought."

I halted, blocking him from entering our house. "You… remember?" I asked quietly.

His eyes were weary, almost tired. Perhaps… he was tired of hiding? "Yes," he said.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I had the rest of the day off. Half way through my latest mission report, I abandoned it. The Dobe'll be back in time for dinner. He healed fast and the hospital needed all the rooms it can get. Karin will most likely not come back home tonight. She was needed somewhere else. I wasn't sure what will happen with Juugo.

My lazy gaze soon turned to the window. It was so much brighter outside. I find it almost hard to belief that it has been nearly a year since I came back. Well… time flies when you're… … fighting in a war. I wanted to be outside. It was only now that I realise that I might not live as long as I'd hoped. I could die any minute of this horrid war. Because unlike a certain dobe; I won't be able to heal right back up. If I had a fatal wound, then that was it; the end.

I wanted to enjoy everything; so when I do die, I won't have any regret.

However, my need to live a life was not my current problem.

No.

It was the pair of dark, dark eyes that was staring at the back of my damn head!

I had been doing so well in writing my report, but it gets kind of hard when you're being stared at. "Aniki," I started. "Did I ever tell you that you're weird?" I turned to look at him, sprawling out across my bed. He scooted over a little, giving me room to squeeze in. "Why are you staring at me, hm?"

I took his slightly smaller hand in mine. "Just… taking you in," he whispered. "I never know when will be the last time I see you." His words stabbed deeper than it should have. It was true though. "Up until now, we have been taking this war very lightly. We were arrogant and thought we could easily win. But you saw the truth today, didn't you otouto? You saw war in its truest form. In times like these… winning is not as important as surviving."

I looked at him strange. I didn't like where this was going. Of course I already know these things. However, I would just like to live in denial for a little longer.

"Hn," I hummed.

I traced his hand, thoroughly remembering how his skin felt. I frowned. If I remember correctly… … "Where's your ring, aniki?"

"Hmm," he purred, nuzzling into my neck. I smirked a little. My older, wiser aniki was so easily distracted. "Madara took it back. Though I hardly doubt that this would mean that he'd let me go. If anything, I think he might be plotting something. This war is limiting our resources. We're more vulnerable than ever."

"You sound… like you remember quite a bit," I mumbled. As soon as the sentence was finished, my mind instantly shied away from the thought.

There was an intense pause on his behalf. "No. I am merely following what my instincts tell me about that name. Are you afraid, otouto? Are you afraid of me remembering? It is inevitable, you realise?"

"Hn," I hummed again. I wasn't even sure of the answer myself!

Silence engulfed my massive room. The slight smell of roses drifted from my beloved's room. And during those few minutes, our manly cuddling turned into rubbing and the rubbing turned into groping. What was to come next was so very obvious and whether I wanted to stop it or not was uncared for. Actually… I was pretty sure that if I could, I wouldn't stop either way.

"Hnnn," I groaned as he gently rubbed the kink out of my shoulder. I leaned in and took a sniff of that scent that almost drove me crazy. But today something must've happened. He no longer smelled of that unique, soap scent that was just him. No, now he smelled of the sea, of the ocean and of blood. I was pretty sure that he didn't have a mission today. So whose scent was that?

And along with the wonderfully massaging hands came the small, addicting kisses. So I wasn't **really** surprised to find him and myself _naked_ in less than twenty minutes. It was going to happen anyways. I'd make sure of it.

The sound of our wet, sloppy kiss echoed through my room. Beautiful, delicate ivory skin rubbed against mine and I find myself selfishly caring less about the war. There was nothing that could ruin my mood when I had someone like Itachi with me. And as I gently pounded into him, in the middle of the broad daylight, I was slightly disappointed that he didn't say my name. I loved it. I loved the sound of my name rolling off his pink tongue.

We lay panting, exhausted from our not so quiet activities. He lay beside me, not quite near enough to be called cuddling. But I could feel the heated flush from his body; that was enough. Never ever, before last night, could I imagine my godlike brother to be the submissive type, but that just shows how much I know about him. My free hand continuously rolled about his soft thigh, lulling him. I was still semi hard, but I wasn't about to push him.

He sighed and I wondered what was on his mind. I opened my mouth to ask, but closed it instead when his slender hand lost itself in my messy hair. He chuckled, almost silently and I twitched a little. Was he laughing at my hair? "Hmm, otouto, do you know where you got this style?" he asked.

Now this gained my attention.

"Hn."

He went on anyways. "When you were very, very young, mother wanted so much for you to look like me," I seriously can't see that happening. "She did, when you were three. But you wouldn't stop screaming and crying, so she changed it," He chuckled a little, "From then on, she tried every style that she has ever encountered. One day, she was in the middle of changing you hair again, when she was called to help deliver a baby from our neighbour. She left you in a hurry, with your hair messily cut at the back and with your bangs still hanging. You liked it, I guess, since you didn't cry much after that."

Well, that made lot of sense…

He suddenly tensed, and so do I. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, when he sprang from my bed and rushed into the toilet. Concern clouded my judgement, so I forgot about his state of amnesia. Wrapping myself in a yukata and bringing one for my brother, I followed him into the toilet. The smell of vomit was strong, but years of killing left me unaffected. What caught my wandering eyes was the shivering form of my brother, hunched over the toilet and still heaving. And for a single moment, shock and unfamiliarity shook deep in me. Never before have I seen my god-like brother in this state. Never.

"Hey," I grunted, not really sure what to do. Well, I kill; I hurt and break things, but surely I don't tend to the unwell. I shook off my anxiety and walked over, rubbing him on the back, as I've seen many done before. "Aniki?" I daren't ask out loud if he was okay. It was some Uchiha silent code or something. Seriously, we just have too much damn pride.

Ignoring me, no surprise there, he stood up, very gracefully I might add, and washed his mouth in the sink. However, in the middle of that task, he seemed to freeze up, as if something had hit him; a realisation of some sort. I watched silently as his eyes lowered to the sink, and a crease formed in between his eyebrows. What was going on? What has he got to hide from me now?

I made a move to touch him, to just hold him, but he moved, as if permanently paralleled to me. "I have a mission today, otouto, please excuse me."

"No, you don't. Don't lie to me again, aniki." He gave me a long, nerve wracking stare. I sighed. "Fine, what's your mission then. Are you going alone?"

He finished putting his clothes on, and I was reminded of those times when he and his Akatsuki partner went around, wrecking havoc upon villages. Heh, he was truly a force to be reckoned with. "If I guessed correctly, then Kakashi-san would be going with me. We'll be back soon, don't stay up too late." He never waited for my answer, not that he ever did, and shunshined out. What happens to him from now on is out of my control.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

"What do you mean, Baa-chan?" My hands paused at the door knob. I suppose I shouldn't be doing this, but curiosity got the better of me. Plus, it was the Dobe's false for being so damn loud. I listened on. "Like… there's none left… at all? But… but, he can't! Nothing's changed at all."

"Look, brat, I did a full diagnose on his physical, and that's what I found," the voice of the Godaime answered. But I can tell that it was just a clone of her's. She would never have enough time to have these talks with anyone, not even the Dobe. It was just a clone, one that I can easily get rid of if I had to. "I didn't find any traces of Sasuke's chakra in him." I froze my breath hitching. No, it couldn't be true.

"But… Baa-chan, he doesn't remember. He doesn't…" My heart, if it had been beating at that moment, would've quenched from the pain in Naruto's voice. He was no longer defending my brother, but rather, now he's in total denial. But hey, so was I.

"Look, brat, you're not stupid, I know that. So you obviously know that he could be a major threat to this village. Damn it! Letting him back in this village was our first mistake!"

"What… what are you going to do, Baa-chan?" This was the first time that I heard Naruto speak so timidly, so unsure of what's happening.

I heard the old lady sigh. Actually, I was extremely surprised that she was able to keep up with all that's happening in Konoha. "That's why I came to you first. You know Sasuke more than anyone else. He has a right to know, but you know what's good for him. But as the Hokage, I'm responsible for telling him and, maybe, bringing Itachi down. I…"

I didn't want to hear anymore. Forgetting about my reason for coming back to the hospital, I made a beeline back to my house, to his room. The conversation between the two blonds replayed over and over in my spinning head. And… as much as I wanted to say no and go into a state of denial, my conscience knew what was happening. I knew, somewhere inside of me, that this was the inevitable, something that was bound to happen no matter what. I just… didn't think that it would happen so quickly.

I wasn't sure what was stronger at the moment; the anger or the grief. So it was no surprise that I took it out on the lamp post near me. The wooden pole broke under my fist, slowly bending down. The children ran away, while the older people gave wary looks. But I couldn't care less; they didn't matter, not anymore. They could be squished to death under the heavy pole and I wouldn't care. The raging emotions in me have never been stronger. And I think that everyone else felt it.

Ignoring the startled looks of Juugo, who came back for lunch, I marched to his room. The strong scent of rose hit me, but I paid it no mind. And here I am, standing in the middle of the room that smelled so much like my… beloved. So I began my search. I made for the pillows on the bed, and was not surprised to find two kunais hidden under them. The Itachi that had no memory would never hide such things under his pillows.

I looked through the various books that stood on his desk. There were many, many books, but the one that caught my eyes was a brown, old one. Braille, it read. A Braille book? Why would he need such a thing? As a long forgotten conversation surfaced in my mind, my eyes widened. If I remembered correctly, his eye sight had been terrible during our fight. I took a deep breath through my clenched teeth. "Augh!" I yelled, throwing the book at the wall.

The Hokage would never lie, but Itachi would. Why was he pretending to still have amnesia? Had he been targeting Naruto the whole time? And the signs, damn the signs all pointed to one conclusion. He's successfully lied to me before, so why can't he do it now? And still, after all these years, I still fell for his words. I had so many questions and no answer at all. However, one stabbing question pierced through me.

"_What are you going to do now, hm? Are you going to continue to live in denial and play the love game, or are you going to put your sword through his heart and end it all? You have to pick something, Sasuke. You can't be happy as long as Itachi lives. I'm sure you know what to do…"_

And the foreign voice was right. I did know what to do. It was whether I can actually do it or not. I had to avenge my clan. That beautiful murderer killed all of them, and for what? He killed them all just to see if he could actually do it? I'm sure that one more Uchiha dying wouldn't make a difference. With my crazy, shattering mind made up, I grabbed my sword and walked to the front door.

Now I wait. I wait for him to come home. I sat down, making myself comfortable with my sword lying on my lap. I knew what I was going to do. I knew whose blood would shower this sword of mine.

My family had to be avenged, only then can I live in peace.

Strange, there's a headache forming in the back of my head… and my face is wet. Is it raining again?

A painful sob shook my body. I was in love with the man that I'm going to kill.

* * *

Oh god, I know, I know!  
Horrible, short and slightly pointless.  
But I had a really hard time thinking something up for this chapter.

I am begging for your forgiveness, my readers.

I had a major writter's block. I'm sorry for the late update!

But please, I'd still like to know what you guys think.

Review!


	19. Chapter 18

Title: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi  
Disclaimer: I truly do not own Naruto. That should be obvious.

_**Warning: Itachi's **__**mood**__** swings!  
**_

**Consequences  
**_(Oh my gosh, I'm running out of words to fit the chapter)_

_Itachi's P.O.V._

"You can't keep this little secret forever, you realise?" Well, of course I realise that. I wasn't foolish, like my little brother. What I find strange about this situation was the fact that Hatake Kakashi was without his orange book. Where had that gone, I wonder?I remained silent under his accusing eye.

"I should have that ANBU that trails you around arrest you. In fact, why hasn't he done it yet?" I find it very entertaining to watch the Great Copy-Nin panic. Oh, he's not showing it, but I know he's nervous. I would be too, if I had been someone else. "Well?"

My lips twitched a little, forming a tiny smirk. I raised my right hand, beckoning the ANBU to come forth. And he did just that. He stood tall and proud, next to me, unmoving. "Take off your mask," I muttered. I watched in delight as Kakashi's eye widened, shocked that the ANBU did what I said. It was very cruel of me to find such delight in one's pain, but I'm in such a sadistic mood.

"What did you do?" he roared. Now that… was something that I haven't seen before.

"You are a smart man, I'm sure you know already," I taunt. Hey, it wasn't my fault that Kakashi decided to follow me into this easy mission. When he didn't answer, I rolled my eyes; which was very Un-Uchiha like. "I messed with his head, changed a few memories and he's suddenly my most loyal follower. The Sharingan can be very handy, as I'm sure you know." Of course, I didn't mention the fact that I can't even see Kakashi's face clearly. If a shiruken flew at my head, I probably wouldn't have been able to dodge it. But that's what I have my instincts for.

"Why then?" he gritted out. "Why go through all these troubles instead of just taking Naruto away?"

I raised my eye brows. "I have no intentions of taking Naruto to the Akatsuki."

"That's a lie!" Oh, how easily I can agitate him. "You've been hunting him for years. You know that's a lie." But I find this situation so very entertaining.

"What are you going to do , hmm? You cannot hope to possibly defeat me. My little ANBU here will take care of you before you can lift a finger against me. I could just dispose of you… or I could just get rid of this piece of memory." Lies; they were all lies. I would never kill him, because killing him meant hurting my brother. The end justifies the mean.

"You're right," he said. "Someone like you wouldn't hesitate to kill, would you? But I'd be damned if I let you back into the village without a fight. Even then, someone else would find out and the Hokage will arrest you." He paused for a little. His one visible eye narrowed into a glare and I tensed. "And to think you're low enough to use your own brother," I tensed even more as he got closer. "Sasuke is **in love** with you. What do you think's going to do to him when he finds out?"

I didn't let him say any more. I ripped his hitai-ate off, showing both his eyes while my other hand held his head still. My Mengekyou Sharingan span wildly, gaining speed. The human mind is quite simple once one has gone insane, For example; me. I've gone insane once, so I'm very familiar with the human mind. So in my doing, this whole conversation became nothing but a fantasy in Hatake's mind.

The older and bigger man slumped down in my arms, bringing me with him. I grunted slightly, my arms and, strangely, my stomach, aching with the extra weight. "Kisame," I hissed. The AnBu hurried to my side, taking the silver-head out of my arms. I smiled a little. In the very end, Kisame couldn't stay away from me, knowing that I was in dangerous territory. And I am slightly regretful to say that the real ANBU is now dead.

I watched as the blue hued man heaves Kakashi onto his shoulder. We headed back to the village. It was foolish to loiter around the border when there's a war raging. But I knew Konoha would pull through, just like she did so many times before. After all, I didn't kill off my entire clan for nothing. "Why couldn't you have just let me kill him, Itachi?"

"Because the village would, no doubt, notice when an extremely elite jounin is missing, thus causing me unnecessary problems," I replied. I heard my loyal and probably only friend scoff. "You know," he started, "I don't even know what the hell I'm doing here. Actually, I was planning on turning my back and heading somewhere remote and wait for you to come, but no, you just had to mess with my damn head. You know, I can't even sleep without worrying if your chicken-butt head of a brother is raping you in your sleep. And to think… I don't even know your plan on this. What's your goal anyways?"

I supposed I should be used to his complaints by now, but patience can only last for so long. "I plan on ending the war," was my simple reply.

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"How are you going to do it?"

"I'm going to give birth to the weapon that'll help Naruto-kun and my brother end the war."

"You have a lot of faith in them don't you? Have you ever considered the fact that someone else more powerful, like a Kage, could be the one to end the war?"

I gave him a stare, in which he understands. Sasuke and Naruto, some where along the long ride of amnesia, had become my most beloved people. I wasn't sure if I remembered correctly, but I remembered reading an old prophecy that stated Uchiha Madara and Senji Hashirama's name. Now I realise that the prophecy had been a few generations too early. It wasn't Uchiha Madara and Senji Hashirama, but rather, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. And… to say the least, the prophecy was quite disturbing.

After an hour of travelling at top speed and not arriving in the village, my partner asked me, "Hey, where're we going? Maybe you haven't noticed, but I'm carrying a man on my shoulder here." I rolled my eyes, once again very un-Uchiha like.

"We," I stated, "are going to the Nara clan's land, where all the reindeers are. And… where Hidan is buried." I could hear Kisame sucking his breath through his lips. But he knows me well enough not to question my motives, so he kept quiet.

Through the ongoing war, the family gardens of many are neglected, which is why it was so easy to infiltrate the garden full of ingenious traps. I had Kisame standing guard, while I go in. The Naras are very clever, but so was I. There were thousands of traps that anyone else would have fallen into, but not I. Nothing needs to change in this area. The forest was quiet and eerie, just as I imagined. It was even more risky when my eye sight is very poor.

I heard a slight explosion going off somewhere far away, but that was nothing unusual now. Seeing a clearing ahead, I dropped down. I took a blueprint from my pouch. I wasn't too far from the place where Hidan's head was buried. It was foolish actually, to actually draw a map locating the enemy's body pieces. But I was not complaining. It makes everything all the more easier for me.

Well, there was no need for explanation since the few hours that followed consisted of me digging and sweating. And then… somewhere along the way, I heard a muffled sound of snoring. Hidan; sleeping away for eternity just as I predicted. He claimed to be immortal, but I never truly believe him, until now that is. I continued digging; careful not to stab him with the shovel… wouldn't want that now would we?

His lungs weren't even attached to his head; why was he snoring anyways? Minding my weakening body, I bent down and grasp his head. One piece found, many more to go. I spent the rest of the night digging and collecting Hidan's body parts. I didn't bring anything to carry him in, so I resorted to sealing him up in a scroll. I sealed his head in last. In the middle of drawing the seals up, my body decided to give in. Showered with violent coughs, I bent down, making sure not to spill blood on the ground. I mustn't leave any signs of me ever being here.

I coughed for several minutes, my blood spilling onto my hands. The pain was beyond any word that I know. My insides boiled, tightening into unforgiving knots as blood rushed to my weakening heart. It almost felt as if my ribcage has decided to squeeze into me, not caring that it was killing me. I calmed eventually, after many minutes and wiped my blood on my shirt. Ignoring the remaining pain, I finished sealing up Hidan. I really didn't understand my reasons for digging the immortal man up again, but I'm sure he'll become of use to me later on.

I found Kisame leaning sideways on a tree. He looked relaxed, as if he'd forgotten that he had Kakashi on his shoulder. "Drop him off at his home," I told Kisame. He looked at my bloodied shirt for a while, before nodding and disappearing with Kakashi. He's seen enough not to question me anymore. I silently made my way home, where my otouto would be waiting. My shoulders lightened at the thought of Sasuke. I could just see how his eyes would narrow and glare at my bloodied shirt and he would silently clean me up, not asking what happened because he didn't want to know.

A cold shill shot down my spine as I stepped through the gates of the Uchiha compound. The weight of the scroll that contains Hidan tied me down to reality. My steps were no doubt, very graceful as the ground crunched under my weight. Most of the houses were empty, no lights were turned on and no signs of life present. The further I walked down memory lane, getting closer to the main household, death grasp its grip upon my soul, but I refuse to feel guilty. What I did was for the sake of the village, not myself.

And then the tingling began. It started at the back of my cranium and slowly made its way down, passing through my scapulas. It was a familiar feeling, a sensation that I was all too used to. So when the tingling finally reached my lower back, I jumped out of the way, anywhere but where I was standing. My instinct had been right, as always, when bright lighting struck where I had been. The earth where I once stood is now scorched, black smoke rising. Surely the attacker didn't expect to hit me with such a simple attack? What shocked me, however, was the handsome man that stood a few yards away.

"Otouto, what is the meaning of this?"

"Don't," he gritted out. I barely hid my surprise. "Don't talk to me. You have no right; no right whatsoever to even look at me! You monster, murderer, LIER!"

Oh, so he's finally discovered the truth. Well it's about time. I looked at his face, but not his eyes. No, after all this time, I can't look at his eyes. I can already feel his hatred seeping into me; I didn't want to see it too. I suppressed a shiver. The coldness of his pain and anger rolled off of him in waves, threatening to consume everything as it once did. See, it's this type of behaviour that makes his attacks so predictable. Strange; this is a serious matter, I should not be making fun of my foolish brother. No, no I shouldn't.

"What do you plan on doing to me?" I muttered. Oh, that sounded way too suggestive. Excitement churned in my stomach, knowing the action that was soon to come. He must've seen the smirk that I didn't know I was wearing. I watched as he narrowed his eyes on my lips. For a short moment, I saw both lust and violence flashed through his eyes, Sharingan ablaze. Slowly, guilt seeped into me. Oh, this is a very serious situation. I… I feel bad for feeling good that otouto's feeling bad. Okay, I should probably stop smirking now.

"I should've seen this coming," he muttered to himself, eyes dilating, lost in pain. It won't matter; he'll only grow stronger with the pain. "I should've killed you that night." He looked back at me. "I should kill you now!" His statement was followed by a hysterical laugh, madness now replacing his fury.

He charged at me, Chidori in hand. I had no problem in dodging that attack; I can see it. My own set of Sharingan came on out of instinct, but I daren't use the Mengekyou Sharingan. He continued to laugh, now reminding me of Madara when he would release his anger out on innocent villages. And though I dodged his larger attacks, I failed to dodge the onslaught of kunai and shrunken he threw at me. The night was dark… and so were his weapons.

In our reign of utter destruction, we both failed to notice our surroundings. My moods have taken a 180 turnover. Anger and fury for no reason overwhelmed me. And so, my body attacks back. My brother had taken down two houses, while a house behind me was still burning with bright flames. We were destroying properties, but since it was ours, there was no problem. My brother's anger has subsided, now the only thing on his mad mind was death; my death. But I did say many times before; if death was my brother, then I was more than willing.

"Did you plan all of this, huh?!" He yelled at me. He was shirtless; I'd burned it off. "Were you so desperate to get Naruto that you'd mess with your own memories?!" Oh, I see what this is about. "Do you know what you're doing to me?" I flinched back, dreading the horrible answer that was sure to follow. "You're killing me. Whatever I have left of me that was human is gone. You bloody murderer, **look what you're doing to me!**" And I do. I'd thought that it was my imagination, but the tears that streamed down his face were real.

But I do love. Hurting him like this was never my intention. I'd tell him, but the chances of him believing any word I say were next to nothing.

From the lack of my response, his fury returned. So he threw his last weapon at me. He didn't have his katana on him anymore, his pouch of weapons was empty, and he was too out of it to form a real jutsu, so he threw himself at me. He launched himself, from across the street of our clan district, to where I was standing. But this time I wouldn't dodge; I _couldn't_ dodge. My disease froze me on the spot, sending waves of pain to my brain.

His heavier form threw me back. Still, I didn't fight back. He straddled me, with both his hands wrapped around my neck. I was surprised to feel that they wrapped completely around my neck; a few months ago his hands had been smaller. He squeezed, cutting of my air supply and still I didn't move. He pulled my head up and slammed it back down on the ground. "Why aren't you fighting back?" His voice cracked from both pain and anger. "Fight me, do something, damn it!" My eyes softened; he didn't want to kill me, but he knew he had to do something.

Hn, this time he really is planning to go through with his revenge.

I would speak, really, but I'm still being strangled, so I have an excuse not to. Even if I was able to speak, I wouldn't know what to say to him. Darkness swarmed around my failing vision, threatening to consume me and take me to death. I wasn't surprised; this was definitely not the first time that I've been so closed to death. And, if I remember correctly, something or someone would come along and spoil my plans of dieing at the hands of my handsome brother.

"SASUKE!!" See?

Once again, death eluded me. What the hell is wrong with this universe? Wow, I was glad I didn't say that out loud.

"Let go of him! Teme stop!" My dearest Naruto-kun: always the one to save unnecessary lives. "Let go, what's wrong with you?!" Just a little longer, otouto, don't let go yet. Oh, but he did let go. I watched the blond drag him away.

My little brother, who's not so little anymore, broke down into sobs, but he refused to cry out loud. "Get him out of here," he managed to choke out. I watched as Karin and Juugo helped him limb back to our house, their house. Naruto-kun remained standing, before walking carefully to my side. When he saw that I wasn't going to bite his head off, he slowly lifted me off the ground into a piggy back ride. I didn't know where he was taking me, nor do I care to ask. I was pretty sure I was going to die from blood lost before we even get there, wherever 'there' is.

I closed my blinding eyes; otouto's pained face forever stuck in my mind.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

There were too many wounds on me to count, so I gave that attempt. We were at the safest place possible with a war going on. Naruto-kun took me to the very border of the Wind and Fire country. Because the two countries were allies, the borders are tightly secured. I chuckled a little. Even the old fools of a council cannot deny that Naruto-kun was the only reason that they have allies at all.

There were still trees around us, giving us covers. We were in a small hut, made of wood but covered with protection seals. I must admit, but not out loud, that Naruto-kun's study in the art of seals is coming along nicely. It must run in the family. With only a small kitchen, a small bathroom and a small bedroom, the hut nestled in the green forest. In all my years of being rogue, I have never stumbled upon this place, so I knew that we were safe.

Naruto-kun sat leaning against the wall, while I occupy the small bed. He looked both weary and wary, but I saw hope. Foolishly he still hoped that I was the Itachi that he'd come to know. Well, I was. "Um," he started, looking at the floor and scratching the back of his head. "Baa-chan will send her slug here soon, so just hang tight, ok?"

I turned away from him, looking up at the dusty ceiling. "Naruto-kun," I whispered. I didn't have enough strength actually speak. "Do you fear me now?" I asked. "How did you find out?"

"Um… baa-chan told me. She got it from your last check up with her. I…" he stopped, but didn't continue.

"What is Godaime-sama going to do?"

"Well, you're still under Sasuke's custody, so we really can't do anything to you."

"I'm sure the councils wouldn't have that," I muttered.

"Well…" here he looked sideways, looking a little sheepish. "…they can't do anything, if they don't know about the situation or where you are." If I had enough strength to turn to look at him, I was sure to see a blush.

I chuckled a little. This certainly feels like Naruto-kun's plan. I bet he came up with this while scratching his chin and daydreaming about ramen. My chuckle, however, proofed to be more damaging than I thought. I doubled over, hacking up blood. There was so much pain I didn't know where to hold first. How long has been since I've taken my pills? Maybe Kisame still has them with him. It'll be useless now, the effects would be too small and my disease would still continue to eat at me.

"'Tachi?" I heard. But I felt another sensation. It was soft and... And it was sliding up onto me! "Relax its Baa-chan's healing slug."

But then something else dawned on me. I mean, it **really** dawns on me.

I wasn't sure what made me black out, the pain or the realisation that I was pregnant!

When I came to, all signs of pain evaporated. I sat up, my hair falling around me like a curtain. Hmm, I never really got around to that haircut that Karin promised. Just a few more inches and it would be touching the floor while I sit. My cuts and stab wounds were gone, leaving only pink lines as a reminder, but they would soon disappear. The bruises were still there, but I didn't mind. What hurts the most was the painful throbbing in my chest, slightly to the left and just below my lungs.

My heart; that's what hurts more than anything else.

I thought I'd promised never to feel this sensation ever again. I thought I'd forever locked away the risk of ever feeling it. I thought that nearly ten years ago had been my last time feeling heartbreak. Why is it quenching like so? It's unbearable!

"Uchiha, you're awake already?"

My eyes landed on the Godaime herself. I knew otherwise; she was just a clone. She walked into the small bedroom, followed by Naruto-kun. Just outside the hut, I felt my ANBU, my Kisame. The fool, what is he still doing here? I snapped my miserably sight back to the two blonds. Naruto-kun took his place from last night and sat against the wall, while the other blond stood and crossed her arms. I had no doubt that I would easily be able to escape, if I decided to, which I haven't yet. I was slowly dieing, but I wasn't weak, I never was.

"I don't have much time. I need all the chakra I can get, so we'll make this talk short. You remember again, you've been remembering for a while now. The question is why haven't you done anything yet?" By _'anything'_, she means try to kidnap Naruto-kun.

"That is no longer my job," I reply. Then I narrow my eyes at her. "I'm sure you of all people realise that by now." It was a dirty trick, but I was a criminal anyways.

"Brat," she snapped at Naruto-kun. "Get out will you?"

As usual, Naruto-kun didn't do it straight away. "What? Baa-chan why?" he whined. "I wanna know too. 'Tachi's my friend too." A small smile crossed my face, before it disappeared and was replaced by nothing once more. Both the Godaime and I gave him a long, eerie stare, before he huffed and pouted. "Fine." He turned and slowly stomped out. That was all that he needed nowadays; just a long, awkward stare.

Once again I was the centre of her undivided attention. "Right," she mumbled. "What's going on brat?"

I ignored her title for me. "Hn, I don't suppose otouto would let me back into the house, so I'm going into hiding for a while," I answer. "Akatsuki hasn't contacted me, so I guess I'm no longer a part of their organisation." I turn my gaze to her. "You do know that my only motive for staying in that organisation was as part of Jiraiya-san's spy network."

"Well, Jiraiya's not here, now is he?" She seemed to realise something. "I thought his network was from flirting with gossiping women?"

I hummed a little. "Hmm, clever is it not? He made everyone assume that his information came from women and bars, when it was from toads in ponds around the world. They have good memories. They see things, and tell him."

"Hey, you know of your condition, right?" she frowned slightly. "You're nearly blind already and you're suffering from a disease that I can't seem to find the source of. What's going on with you?"

Ah, of course. She was the best medic in the entire shinobi world. If there was something in the medical field that she couldn't figure out, it becomes a challenge that she wants to overcome. I call it morbid curiosity. I answer her anyways. "I don't know what the disease is, but I have my suspicions." She nods for me to continue. I cleared my throat, for once avoiding eye contact. "Release," I stated quietly. "After my last mission," of which she knows about, "and in order for the Akatsuki not to suspect anything, I was able to suppress any and all of my… emotions." I pause and she narrows her amber eyes. I could tell she already knew where this is going.

However, I was not expecting the pure horror that crossed her features. She gasped. "But," she muttered, still shaky. "For your emotions to actually release through your physical form… my god, what… ah, what have you done, Sarutobi-sensei?" The last part she mumbled to herself, but of course I heard her. She turned her gaze back up to me. "There isn't a way to cure it?"

Hmm, was there a medicine in the world that cures your emotions? "No," I answered.

"But it can't possibly kill you, can it? They're just your suppressed emotions, right?"

I raised me eyebrows. I didn't need for her to go into denial. "When you're sad, you cry. When you're angry, you do something to release it. When you're happy, you smile or, in Naruto-kun's case, dance around. But in my case, I cannot react to my emotions. There is no way for release…"

"…So they slowly eat you up from the inside," she finished for me. I watch as she massages the frown in between her eyebrows. Even with her genjutsu covering her real age, I can see that it's about time she passes her legacy to the newer generation. "You brats," she gritted out. "You're going to kill me one day with your childish ways." After several minutes of silence, she finally says, "And your other condition? You know about that too?"

"Hn" She obviously means my pregnancy. "I wish to keep it," I say before she asks. I'm surprised she hadn't asked who the father was yet.

"What for?"

"You know that this is designed especially for war. It'll fully develop a fully grown form in only a few years." I didn't need to say the rest.

"What, you're gonna use an innocent child to end a war?"

I smirked a little. "It won't be alone. I'm sure Naruto-kun wouldn't be too happy letting someone else end the war. If I know him, which I do, then I'm sure that he'd want to be part of it," after a certain amount of silence, I added, "and he will. Him and my brother."

She heaves a long, tiring sigh. "Right, so you're going to stay here until you…um, deliver the baby?" I nod. "It's dangerous, so I'll send my clone to check up on you every now and then. I'll inform Shizune, so she can do the delivery, unless you want the brat to do it for you." At this, I twitched. "That ANBU that's always watching you, I'll leave him here with you. And if I know the brat, he's going to want to come regularly, too." I nod.

After another long set of silence, she mutters quietly. "I'm going to have to tell Naruto the truth." I snapped my head to glare at her. "Don't give me that look. He's going to find out one day and he's going to be hurt if we don't tell him. And maybe, it depends; maybe I'll have to inform Kakashi too. But that's about it."

"Fine, as long as you don't tell otouto. I won't have him kill me until the baby is safe."

"Uh huh," she mutters. "Right, wait here, I'll tell the brat. Then this clone's going to have to dispel itself." She walks out, before turning for the last time. "Good luck," in which she got a nod from me in return.

I quietly sense the two sources of chakra go outside; they stay there for about twenty minutes. I guess that was how long it took for the Hokage to explain to Naruto-kun. It was quite fast, but she was running out of chakra. Then I heard a muffled pop, which indicated the dispelling of the clone. Naruto-kun didn't come inside, not that I expect him to. He was gone all morning. I expect he needed time to sort things out. He came back just after noon and I smell the scent of cooked fish with him. Oh, that's right, I hadn't eaten anything yet.

My face remains blank as I wait for his reaction. He blushed slightly and I knew I still had him with me. "I… I heard that fishes have… healthy things… so it'll be good for the… baby." I smiled a little, but not too big. I haven't smiled completely in years, I think I forgot how to. He sat himself down leaning against the wall once more. "Um, Baa-chan told me, everything."

I remain silent, but he was used to that. He stood up and walked to my bedside, sitting on the floor and handing the fish, wrapped in banana leafs, to me. I nodded my thanks. "You were never actually going to take me to Akatsuki, huh?" I nod. "Yeah, I find it a little weird that first time we met. You asked me instead of just taking me with you. And when you and fish-face escaped, you could've snatched me with you." He gave me a bright smile, but I could only smile a tiny one in return. I miss my little brother.

"Don't worry," he says quietly, "I'll be here."

Hn, the fish tastes quite tasty. But I'm hungry for something else, something sour, like mangos… or pickles, which ever one. "Naruto-kun," he starts at hearing my voice. "You cannot stay here for months straight. Go back to the village, it needs you. Train, get stronger, only then can you come to me." I looked sideways. Where have I heard that before?

He pouted and muttered, "Yeah, Baa-chan told me the same thing. But I'll come visit when I can and bring lots of ramen, believe it!"

My gaze softened. The Yondaime was right to choose Naruto-kun as the Kyuubi's host. Had he chosen anyone else it might have been disastrous. "How are you going with the Hiraishin?" I ask him.

"Yosh!" he pumped his fist. "I'm really close to mastering it. Sensei said that when I master it, I can go out in the frontline. The enemies are so gonna get it!" Yes, I can see it now. I can just see their horrified expressions, never thinking that there would ever be another yellow flash. I had no doubt that my body was too weak to perform the jutsu. "Then we can fight them together, 'Tachi. You and me, we can both use the jutsu."

"That's not right, Naruto-kun. I have no right to use the jutsu. I only learnt it from your father so that I could teach you one day. When you do master it, I'll get you a cloak, just like the Yondaime." I watch amusedly as he blushed. "You'd better go now."

He was hesitant, but complied nonetheless. He stopped at the door and turned around. "You know, Teme will get better, just give him time," he said before turning into an orange and black blur. I felt prideful for a moment when I saw him use the Hiraishin, his rightful legacy. I let him go without correcting him. He was wrong. Otouto would feel better, but Naruto-kun had underestimated otouto's hatred for what I did. Nobody but me understood the depth of otouto's need for revenge.

"Hn." I placed my hand over my still flat stomach. There was nothing that was different, but I knew otherwise on the inside. I was going to be a cruel monster using this child for a war, but to know that it was mine and otouto's made me smile anyways.

"Kisame," I muttered, "come out."

There was a violent gust of wind and my partner was beside me in seconds. He was still dressed in the ANBU uniform, he has to. The familiar smell of mint sea breeze calmed me. I took out my scrolls. One of them contains a book. I threw the book to my partner. I waited as he read the title. "Pregnancy for Dummies," I smirked when he squeaked a little. "Itachi?"

"Read it," I demand, "and when you're finished, go out and get the food the book lists."

He didn't dare not to obey me. I saw him; form the corners of my almost blind eyes, wobble away, swaying slightly. I suppose, if my father had still been alive and found out that I was pregnant; his reaction would be very similar to Kisame's. I waited until he was in the kitchen.

Now, finally alone, the heartache came back full force. Had I not mention many months ago that this time I would not be able to withstand his hate? The prospect of living without otouto was worse than I'd imagined. But, in time, everything will be alright. I have the baby and let someone reliable raise it. And in time it'll end the war alongside my brother and Naruto-kun. I would raise it myself, but I don't think I can avoid death any longer than a year at most.

I closed my eyes, only feeling my chest tightened. At this point, anyone else would be crying already, but that was impossible for me. So instead, I settled for laying a hand over the pain.

For me, the greatest pain can only be caused by the one I love the most. If the pain was caused by someone that's not otouto, then the pain was not at its greatest. I wonder if it was possible to die of heartbreak.

* * *

Okay, just to ne certain of things, the theory of Itachi's condition is not officially ture. I'm just going with what most people's theories are. And yes, Itach is pregnant, but Sasuke doesn't know that now does he?

Um, okay, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter more than I enjoy writting it!

Thanks so much for those people who reviewed or alerted this story. I'm glad that I have some readers still with me.

Okay, please review.


	20. Chapter 19

Title: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**Period  
**_(The title of the chapter doesn't even have anything to do with the content. I'm just running out of words)  
_

I am crazy in love. Oh, of course I'd never say that out loud or say it at all. I came to this conclusion when my little brother haunted my every dream. I was crazy in love. I was in love and since the love of my life isn't here with me, I was dieing of heartbreak. Though, the person who was in the most pain was probably Kisame. He was the one who has to run around getting strange food for a pregnant **man**. Then he'd also have to deal with my constant mood swings, which turned out to be very, very violent.

As things turned out; I find that my absolute control of my emotions was withering away. I can no longer control what I want, what I feel and almost certainly not what I say. And, admittedly, I was getting sick of it. This is ruining what reputation I've taken years to build, not that I care.

"'Tachi!"

My ears perked up as I look longingly at the door. I stood up and walked to the front door. A long trail of yellow flash came at the hut. My eyes may be bad, but there was no way for me not to see the yellow flash. He was mastering it fast. He'll surely exceed his father's level, if he hadn't already done it. My stomach fluttered, excited to finally get a visitor. Two months into pregnancy and I was already ready to burn down a whole village. "Naruto-kun."

"Hey!" he shouted. "Baa-chan said I can visit, but I have a mission with my team straight after this."

I nodded. It was alright; this was better than nothing at all. We both walked inside, where he sat himself in his place against the wall and I on my bed. My hand, which during the past two months had made it a habit of rubbing, went up and started rubbing. I felt Naruto-kun's eyes following my movement. I dread the next part of our conversation, but I asked anyways.

"How is my little brother?"

"Um," he started. I looked at him at his hesitation. "Well, he's not doing so well… emotionally." I raised my eyebrows and he blushed. It was quite endearing actually. "He was in a depressing state for the first few weeks."

"Yes, you told me."

"But now he's come back out."

That's good to hear. "That… is good."

The smile slipped from his face. "Not really, 'Tachi. He went back to doing things the way he did in Otogakure."

"I don't understand," I whispered. "He is fighting on your side."

"Yeah, but he's killing ruthlessly and he probably doesn't understand the word 'mercy' anymore. He's using the Sharingan too much. I'm scared he's gonna be… blind."

I can understand. "You have no need to worry, Naruto-kun. My blindness of only the effect of using the Mengekyou Sharingan. As long as otouto doesn't use it, then things should be fine."

He looked to the side for a while, avoiding my blind but chilling stare. I wonder what is going on in his mind. He's always thinking of others, anybody but himself. We stayed quiet and listened to the sounds of nature. Many creatures have gone south, away from the conflicts caused by humans. It's a very lonely existence; just Kisame and I, but I wouldn't have any other way.

"'Tachi," he started. "That baby… its Sasuke's… isn't it?"

"Hn." I watched as he sighed a little. "Are you disgusted?"

"No, just a little weird… I guess. I mean, you guys fight and do things too weird to be brotherly. He doesn't know, does he?" I shook my head. "Are you going to tell him?"

"Not unless it's very necessary. He's in too much confusion to be predictable. Who knows what he'll do."

"When you started remembering things, why didn't you tell anybody?"

"I had plans of my own, Naruto-kun."

He opened his mouth to ask, but seemed to change his mind. "Naa, it's probably some mind boggling, too complicated plan or something. So don't answer that." I didn't mention that fact that he didn't ask anything in the first place. "Um, 'Tachi, how does it feel… to, you know, have a living thing inside of you?"

"Quite normal, actually," I lied. Hell no, it was so not normal. It was freaky and damn it, I want ice cream.

"Naruto-kun, I'd like to speak to my brother before my stomach shows. Do you think you can arrange something?"

"Like a blind date?!"

Choosing my words carefully, I answered, "yes."

"Sure! I'll let you know when I have everything arranged. Oh, did you see me today? I was way cool using the Hiraishin. Baa-chan said that I can go out in the front line when my team finishes this last mission. She said things are getting desperate out there. We're losing a lot of land and their advances are getting stronger."

Yes, it would make sense. In the last Great Ninja War, Konohagakure had Uchihas and many other powerful clans at their disposal. But now, neither the Uchiha clan nor the Yondaime was here. Konoha was on its own. I nod along with Naruto-kun's updates. Suddenly, I remember another thing. "Naruto-kun," I started, interrupting his update. "Do you remember when I gave you a little of my powers?"

"Uh… yeah…" Obviously he does not.

I decide to help him out. "When you swallowed my crow?" I watched in amusement as his eyes widened and a large blush came over his face.

"That… that," he stuttered. "That wasn't funny! I could've dies or the crow could've poked my eye out from the inside for all I know! 'Tachiiiiiiiii, that was scary!"

I chuckled a little. "I was in a hurry, Naruto-kun, my apologies. However, I want you to remember that should things ever go badly and you need it, a fraction of my power is within you."

"Oh, thanks."

A silence befalls us, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Maybe ten minutes pass, I wouldn't know. My hand continued to rub my stomach. It was no longer flat, but it wasn't too noticeable either. My little baby's chakra pulsed in me stronger than ever, constantly reminding me of once upon a time when my brother loved me like never before. Once again, I noticed that Naruto-kun seemed spellbound by my stomach-rubbing. I supposed I understood what was going on in his head. He's most likely wondering if Uzumaki Kushina had done the same thing when he was in her womb. He didn't dare ask that, but he will one day. He's only got a few people who knew about his parents, me being one of them.

"Your hair's really long now," he states.

"Hn. Karin didn't get around to cutting it." Yes, I will admit it to myself that I somehow miss the young girl's strange antics. Her obsession with my state of amnesia was to the point where I was scared of turning into the very thing that she treats me like; a doll. It was strange to me how someone as motherly, if not a little lovesick, as Karin ended up working for Orochimaru. But I guess that's the way the world works now. Of course, I would never let my baby work for someone like Orochimary. I'll just have to find someone who's capable of raising a Sharingan wielder and not let the baby turn out insane. This will be more difficult than I thought.

"Is that ANBU taking good care of you?"

"Hn. Naruto-kun, is everything in the village well?"

He seemed startled, most likely with the question. "Yeah… sort of. Konohamaru ans his friends told me they had to be sent back to the academy. Baa-chan said that too many gennins are dieing, so she sent most gennins back to the academy to train a little more. Iruka-sensei said they'll be concentrating so they can survive this war."

I nod. It seems that this was bound to happen sooner or later. "It's not just the gennins, Naruto-kun." He looked up, confused. "More than 70% of Konoha shinobi are unexperienced in war. Those that have been involved in war before are either retired or too scared to fight again. You're very lucky to have Kakashi-san with you."

His eyes widened at the revelation and I knew that reality finally caught up with him. I knew that this is the type of information that brings hope down, but I would rather his that have people die in the battlefield due to ignorance. "You mean…"he mumbled. "… We've been fighting a losing war up until now?"

"No, Naruto-kun. Do not forget that shinobi who are not experienced are very strong too. You and your peers are a very strong generation. You're not fighting a losing war."

Something strange flashed in his blue eyes. He wasn't used to being praised, I knew that much. To have someone believe in Naruto-kun, you'd know for sure that things will be better. "What about you?" He suddenly asks. I blinked, letting know that I was confused. "Were you… involved in the last war?" Somehting seemed to occur to him. "Wait, no, you're too young to be involved. Never mind."

"No, I wasn't involved in the war…"He nods. "I was only involved in the cleaning up."

"The cleaning up?" He asks. "Like… rebuilding houses and stuff?"

"No. That's the modern term of cleaning up, but back then, cleaning up meant killing any enemy shinobi that was in the village."

"Oh," he mumbles. He nods as the information danced around in his head. Of course, if he didn't ask, then I wouldn't mention the fact that I was but four at the time.

We continued to talk and bask in the silence of our surrounding. At nearly noon, he had to go. "Naruto-kun," I said before he was completely out of the door. "Please, I need to speak to my brother once more." His eyes softened, before he nods and became a yellow flash. I sighed to myself. I really do wish that I could be there when the enemies see the yellow flash again. Maybe I could, I'll just have to talk to the Hokage.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

It was almost a month later that Naruto-kun finally gave me the news that my brother would talk to me. I had been so relieved. My heart fluttered for the first time in years and shivers ran down my back. Naruto-kun had us meeting at a lakeside, near the village. He would dare risk otouto coming anywhere near my little hut. So my hiding spot remained anonymous to my brother. My stomach was starting to show, but I could easily blame it on eating too much and not exercising. I wore large, loose clothes anyways.

Kisame, in his ANBU disguise, lingered somewhere near the lake, out of sight and out of smell. He'd become more protective than ever. I don't blame him.

The lake shimmered in its glory. The sun had come out at long last and spring was setting in. The war hasn't even gone long enough to be a year, so there's a chance that things could become worse. Konoha had not only the war to worry about, but they also have the Akatsuki. There are only about four members left, but those were the official ones. Akatsuki has many smaller armies of followers, those who wished to end the world and start a new era. The longer they wait, the stronger Naruto-kun is going to become. Madara will most likely send Pein to bring Naruto-kun in, so I'll have to worn him.

It seemed that the Akatsuki was not my problem right now. Otouto was; and just as long as he doesn't activate his Sharingan, then he wouldn't see the chakra that swirled in my abdomen. I looked up from my feet, stepping out into the lakeside. Kisame's clothes hung off me like rags, but they concealed my form. My eyes, no matter how bad they are, immediately spotted my beloved. He stood a foot away from the water's edge, his fist gripped tightly on his katana's hilt. His other hand clenched and unclenched. I see his broad shoulders heaving up and down, no doubt trying to restrain himself.

All signs of anger from him were abandoned; all that mattered was that he's here, right in front of me. He's grown, not doubt of that. He's gotten taller, if only a little and his shoulders are broader, looking more and more like father when he was young. He was definitely bigger than me now. I was tall too, my shoulders were broad too, but I inherited mother's genes more than father's. His eyes, the same colour as ever before, were now so cold and lifeless. Had he gone back to doing things the way Orochimaru had taut him?

"Say what you have to say!" He barked.

I reeled back. What was I to say? I had not planned a conversation up. I hadn't a word to say, I just wanted to see him again. I trust my instinct with this. "I hadn't planned to hurt you so," I started carefully.

"What, you never meant for me to find out the truth, you mean?"

Emotions flooded me, but I didn't dare show them openly. "It didn't matter whether you found out or not. I was bound to remember again, not matter what. The real question was what were you going to do when I do? And now, now you're furious not because I hid it form you, but because you didn't have enough time to decide on your actions. Then you attacked me and now you have too much pride to admit that you could be wrong!" See, this is why I don't speak so much. When I open my mouth too much, things tend to spill out and get me in trouble.

His face went red, from both embarrassment and fury. And when he speaks, his voice was hoarse and deep. "Did you…" he paused. "Did you love me at all… the way I love you?"

My eyes stung, but no tears dared leak out. Tears never leak out nowadays. Then I noticed that he didn't use the past tense when he said he loves me. Hope rose steadily in my hurting chest. "I… I hid the truth, but I never lied."

He gauged me and I him. Silence settled upon the area. I wasn't foolish enough to hope for the best. I wasn't blinded enough to hope that he would except me back and hold me. And I knew he's learnt better than to hope for the same things. That is why I wasn't surprised by what he said next. "You still killed our clan. You still need to be punished for what you did. I still need to avenge our clan!" But he made no move to attack.

Oh, if only he knew the truth.

After sometime past, I finally understood him. "You can't kill me," I stated at last. He hissed, turning his eyes away.

"I don't ever want to see you again," he slowly mumbled. "This damn relationship was wrong from the start! You can't possibly hope for things to be like a fairytale. We're brothers. What we did was disgusting! What would mother and father think of us? You're the older one! You should have stopped this from the beginning, but you didn't. Yearning for your own brother, that's disgusting. I can forget about this. I can fall for a decent girl and rebuild our clan. I can forget about you, but I can't do that if I keep seeing you. Just forget about this."

It was confusing at first; this painful stabbing in my chest. His words slowly repeated itself in my head. The muscles around my heart tightened, squeezing the poor thing nearly to a breaking point. It hurts, more than my disease had. This thought that he didn't want me, that he wanted to forget what we had was very torturous. I wanted so much to deny what he said, to know that he was just being irrational. But my brother wasn't foolish anymore, he's grown up and I can't deny him. He knows what he wants. And had I not said earlier that this is the man that I would do anything for? If me disappearing from his life was what he wanted, then what choice did I have?

"Are you not going to avenge our clan?" I asked at last. My voice did not shake; it did not show signs of ever feeling pain. It remained cold and aloof, just as it had for the past ten years.

"I want you to suffer, to feel pain every day for the rest of your life. And if you really did love me like you said, then this should punish you enough."

It was I who put that hatred in him. It was I who pushed him to the brick of insanity and back and it was I who showed him the ways of the dark, but no matter what I did to him, I was not ready to withstand this absolute hatred he threw at me. Before, it was easy to know that he hated me while not knowing the truth, nut this was different. Even if he still doesn't know the truth, he still hated me for something else. He hated me for loving him and then ripping his heart out. He hated me for making him love me.

So deep in my thoughts, I failed to react in time when he took three long strides and stood in front of me. Our height difference was definitely noticeable now. I didn't react when he violently took my jaw in his hand, rough and brutal. I could already feel the bruises forming, but his hand only tightened. I looked into the dark abyss that was his eyes. If I could just reach out and snatched those eyes for myself, then I would forever have my sight with me, remaining in an un-aging body like Madara. But I didn't dare. I would never do it.

"Look at you," he hissed. "You're not my brother. You never were. You're a monster, a murderer. I knew all of this and I still fell for something like you." I watched shakily as tears rolled down his face. Stop otouto, why are you crying? I thought you were stronger now, so why cry? "You weren't satisfied with just killing my family and driving me insane, you had to come back and steal my heart. You're my personal demon… the thing that haunts my every dream. But you know what?" His other hand came up and held the back of my head. It was in this position that I was at his mercy. He could easily twist and snap my neck or he can lean down and kiss me.

"Despite how much I fucking love you, with everything I've got," he spat. "I still hate you to death."

Something wanted to come up, but got stuck in my throat. A headache formed in my head and my diaphragm did little dances. I recognise these as the signs of crying. And yet, tears still did not gather at my eyes. I laughed pathetically in my head at my inability to cry. I stumbled back a few steps when he pushed me away. Such hatred in his eyes. If he'd have that kind of hatred from the very beginning, I'd be dead and this war wouldn't have started. I did hand signs of a shunshin, and I wanted so bad to stop him. But my body still refused to move. I was frozen. Pain ripped through me in waves… and yet my brother continued to cry.

It wasn't after he was gone that I managed to croak. "Sasuke," the name itself was whispered so silently that even I almost didn't hear it.

My legs gave out and my knees crashed onto the sand of the lakeshore. My heart raced faster. My ears blocked out all noises, my heartbeat the only thing I heard. My hands shook as they covered my face, hiding me form the world. My chest tightened. I can't breathe. I can't breathe! I… I can't BREATHE! Sasuke… SASUKE I can't breathe! Where was my brother? I need my brother. I need to breath… or I'm really going to die!

"Itachi!"

Otouto? No, not likely.

"Damn it, Itachi, you need to calm down." It's hard, how could I calm down when my own brother didn't want me? "You need to calm down, Itachi. Everything's going to be alright. I want to help, but I can't do that if you don't breathe. Calm down and breathe."

I wanted so bad to believe him. Kisame was my friend, he'd surely help me. He'll still want me, unlike _him_. So I calmed down, just for Kisame. Oxygen finally filled my empty lungs, releasing relief through my being. I was light-headed, still so dizzy that I didn't care what happened to my body. Sleep seemed so enticing. I allowed black spots to surround my failing vision and I didn't resist when sleep threatened to take me over.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Shizune-san has just gone back to the village. She seemed fascinated with my condition. I had grown weaker and weaker. I ignored it at first, but it became difficult when I'm constantly drained of chakra. Godaime-sama sent Shizune-san here every week or two. Naruto-kun heard of my weakening condition and visited more, but it was hard for him too when he was out in the frontline. Kisame, still in ANBU disguise, absolutely refused to leave my side.

Even without my Sharingan, I could feel most of my chakra constantly drained and channelled to my stomach. My stomach finally showed. It's very obvious now that I was pregnant. My baby was almost always hungry for chakra. It fed off my chakra reserve all day long, but I refuse to be angry. I supposed I shouldn't get too attached to the little creature. After all, I did decide to use it was a weapon.

I rubbed my belly with my hand, gently feeling every pulse. The tiny little creature was so hungry… it was endearing; something that I did not mind at all. If things continued at this rate, my baby would have drained all of my chakra by the end of the pregnancy. Hmm, well, I've got to die one way or the other. I didn't dare move my body too much or too violently. I didn't dare risk having my self-destructive disease touching my baby. The only companion I have, when neither Kisame nor Naruto-kun was here, was Hidan. The disconnected head has still yet to wake up. He continued to snore day and night. I hid him when I had visitors; only Kisame was to know I had him.

I didn't dare put his body pieces back together, not while I'm so vulnerable.

Nothing was as big of a problem as what was on my mind; Uchiha Madara: the evil, vile, immortal man… but a genius in his own right. He took my ring, yet left me alive. He didn't bother me with his taunts, but watched me all the same. He was gone quiet, yet I hear him plotting. I supposed I could blame it on my raging hormones, but paranoia was not in my list of vocabulary to act on. It didn't help that my body constantly ached from years of actively using the Sharingan. There's no doubt now; my body was really failing. It's a lost cause. No amount of healing can keep it alive for too long. In the end… I was my own killer.

Ignoring the warnings that Shizune-san gave me, I slowly got up and headed outside. My legs ached from sitting for so long, but the slight pain was nothing compared to what I felt inside. I allowed a frown to mar my face, if only slightly. When had things become so complicated? Why had I fallen for the only one whom was forbidden? Out of billions that I could've loved above all else, it had to be him. I fought for him, I killed for him, I did everything for him and in the end I loved him too much.

If I, somehow, miraculously survived the birthing process, would otouto ever lay eyes on his child? I would want them to meet, but only when my child could fight and defend himself. I fixed the katana on my waist to a better angle. Away from the hut, deeper into the forest and secluded from anything, was my new favourable spot. It was a spot that I could…

My trains of thoughts became a train wreck.

The moon, low in the blue sky; small and unnoticeable, glared at me. It was in the middle of the day, something like the moon wouldn't even be glanced at twice. It hung low in the sky, barely seen over the tall tree line. It was silver and faint, but my instincts were never wrong. Between me and the moon, the air was tense and thick. The moon, something that many have taken for granted for years, became something that I needed to watch out for. Something, my instincts perhaps, sent warning messages to me. The warning bells grew louder and louder, painfully thumping against my skull. The moon? What harm could the moon do to me?

I stared at the moon. I'm shocked that I could still see far enough to see the moon, but I look anyway. The warning bells became painful. My chest quenched tight, my hands balled into fists. Just like on the night that I committed my greatest sin, a wet substance rolled down my cheeks. The moon, which had been pale once, was now blood red. It was only then that I realised I was not drying tears, but blood. I staggered backwards, leaning against a tree for support. Pain was everywhere. In this time of need, pain was my only companion.

Was this what I would have to endure for the next few months?

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Naruto-kun didn't visit me anymore. I knew it hurt him more than it hurts me. He hated turning his back on anyone that needs support. But I understand.

I knew that the war was getting more intense, but a feeling in my growing stomach told me that that was not the problem. There had to be a much bigger reason for Naruto-kun to stop coming to see me.

I was six months into my pregnancy. I was at the point that I could no longer walk. My limbs are constantly shaking as I fight everyday to keep my eyes open. I was drained. My chakra, no matter how big of a reserve it is, was not enough for my baby. He, there's was no doubt that it would be a boy, was always hungry. I didn't mind though; I never mind.

A few days ago I felt him kick. The sensation of that tiny kick was so wonderful. At that moment, I cared not for my pride or my reputation. I had smiled all day long, waiting for the next kick. I noticed that he kicked the most when it was near dawn, always waking me up early in the morning. I was constantly filled with joy when he moved, and forgot that there was a war going on. Kisame was my only companion, but even he cannot be here with me all the time. However, he was here when I needed him the most, which was ore than enough.

And yet, no matter how happy I was with my little baby moving around, I missed Naruto-kun terribly. I knew I missed another person, but I daren't think about him. Just thinking of his name brought horrendous pain to my weak heart. This weakening heart that I knew would fail me any minute now.

I endured another month of pain, before Naruto-kun finally showed once more. It was at this time that I could only sleep and eat. My baby constantly drained me… and I was more than willing to give up my life force. He was much more active now. He kicks whenever he felt like it. Everyday I felt around for the familiar bump in my upper stomach, waiting for the daily kick. My little baby and Kisame were the only things that kept me sane and almost happy. So I was thrilled when the blond future Hokage appeared after a flash of yellow light.

I took everything about him in. His eyes, ever so bright and sincere, were clouded in stress. And all too sudden, Naruto-kun looked too much like his father. I watched silently as he walked over and slid down the wall where he always sat during his visits. I needn't ask; he'll tell me eventually. While I stared at him with my dark eyes, his brighter ones never met mine. "The Tsuchikage was just a pawn," he mumbled, a frown furrowing his eyebrows. I blinked at the revelation, somehow unsurprised. That's the thing about wars.

"Go on," I whispered. I haven't enough energy to speak any louder lest I risk falling asleep. Something churned in my stomach. I wasn't sure if it was my baby's doing or my guts telling me something was wrong. I decided on both.

"The Akatsuki… the leader came after me," a violent shiver ran through me, up and down my arms and up my neck. Pein came after Naruto-kun. I didn't like the sound of this. "I was out training with the toads. When I came back, half the village was already destroyed." He paused to sigh loudly. "I think I got there just in time… but a lot of people were already dead!" Here he shut his eyes real tight, pressing his lips together to help stop the flows of tears. "I fought a few Peins. I didn't even know what the hell was truly going on. All I knew was that he killed my friends just to get to me. He said a few weird things…"

Even if I cannot see him clearly, there was no doubt that he was in deep thoughts. I must have missed a lot of important events. Was my brother okay?

I knew Pein well enough to know what he would have said to Naruto-kun.

"You seemed not upset enough to grief," stated.

His eyes brightened slightly. "Naa," he said. "I beat some senses into the guy, so he brought everyone back to life! How cool is that? I wish I could do something like that." My eyebrows raised in amusement. "But I can go into my sage form now; I just have to stay still. And I finally mastered the Hiraishin. I can use it… just like my old man." A fond smile formed on my face at the nickname. "You… um, your stomach's really big now," his voice cracked a little. It was strange, had he not been stressed a few minutes ago?

And then what he said about my stomach caught up with me. I twitched a little. Had Naruto-kun not read the book about pregnancy? It wasn't very sensible of him to give a comment like that, especially to an S-Class missing nin. I decided to spare him and take it as a compliment. "Yes, my baby's growing very fast."

I watched as doubt crossed his blue eyes. No doubt he was thinking about my much earlier decision to use my baby as a tool. I can see it now. He doubts my ability to be able to stick to my words. He's thinking that I am becoming too attached to my baby. Of course, he had every right to think so. After all, I _am_ becoming too attached to my baby. But he need not worry. I would not be alive long enough to change my mind. My baby was going to be used to end the war, one way or another.

"Naruto-kun," I started. "What were you saying about the Tsuchikage only being a pawn?" By the startled look on his tan face, he was obviously hoping that I would forget about his earliest statement. I rubbed my hand across my clothed stomach, waiting for him to answer. The business of war is so very intriguing. If the powerful Tsuchikage, who gave me this womb, was merely a pawn, then who could possibly be the master behind all this?

"Uchiha Madara," was his simple reply. My heart skipped a little beat, but that's about the only reaction there was. Well, it's not really surprising when the answer is exactly what I've been expecting. "He ambushed Sasuke-teme," my heart really did jump a little this time. "It was just me, teme and Yamato-senpai. He told us about his… plan." I raised an encouraging eyebrow. "He called it the Moon Eye plan or something like that. I forgot." He paused for a little longer. "Do you… know anything about it, 'Tachi?" He was being careful with his words.

And suddenly, I understood why he was here. Disappointment surged through my frail little heart. I was giving the poor thing such a rough treatment. "Is that why you are here, Naruto-kun?" I whispered. "The Hokage sent you here to gather information on the Mooneye Operation? There is no need. Madara would have told you the same thing he told me. Plus, had he not explained to you what he would do? Why would you want information that Madara had already provided you with?"

Out of the corners of failing eyes, I watched as he raised his head and looked at me with startled eyes. And then understanding settled in his wonderful eyes. "Actually, Shikamaru gave me a simple mission of coming and seeing if you knew anything else. But I think he's just trying to give me a break. He knows I'm not going to get any info, but he just gave me an excuse, so I can come and see you." He trailed his hurried explanation with a few more words of mumble.

"I take it that he knows where I am?"

"Yeah, I told you he was a lazy-ass genius. But don't worry, only me, Baa-chan, Shikamaru, Shizune-nee and your ANBU knows of this place." His eyes turned wistful. "When will things go back to the way they are? Sasuke going back to t he way he was. He's using hatred to fight. It isn't good for him. When will you come home?"

"You don't understand, Naruto-kun." I said, avoiding his eyes. "Planning our futures, at this point, is completely useless. Plans and destinies are unfolding, things are changing. You don't have time to ponder little things like me. You are part of something bigger. Plus, you have forgotten that my brother does not want to see me again."

"So we'll tell him," he yelled, his voice rising with hope. It's almost shameful that I must crush that hope. "We'll tell him the truth, everything."

It is hope crushing time. "That's useless, Naruto-kun. Put yourself in otouto's position and see if you'll even listen to me. Do you honestly think he'll believe me? From this point on, the truth will only sound like an excuse, more lies. Even so, things would be much easier if he forgets me and finds a woman good enough to be his wife. You forget he has another goal; to rebuild the clan." Yet it pains me so much to say that out loud.

Silence followed our little conversation. I can see that Naruto-kun is struggling to come up with something to say. But he knew that I was right. He did say anything else, but merely stared at my stomach. "Have you been eating properly? Are you getting enough ramen?" He asked. It seems he's noticed other aspects of my body other than my stomach. "You… you look really… what's the word?" I raised my eyebrows. "Thin… skinny; that's it!"

"Hn," I didn't know how to answer that. It isn't very wise to worry him in times like these. I stared at him some more while he stared at my stomach. Suddenly I understood what he wanted. A weak smile cracked my cold façade. "Would you like to… feel?"

A small squeak escaped his throat. He was very endearing. "Uh… um, yeah," he managed to squeak out. He noisily and clumsily crawled on all four towards my futon, extremely careful not to touch me before he got here. I resisted the urge t roll my eyes. He probably thinks he's going to break me with one touch. I was drained, not made of glass. "… Can I… really…?" I nod. I smirked a little when he gulped loudly and reached forward with one hand; the other supporting his weight.

Through the thick yukata, I felt the heat of his hand. My stomach was large and round, hidden away by Kisame's large yukata. I was so drained that I was very sure Naruto-kun felt my ribs poking out. My collarbone was hollow and my arms were weak. I fit the term 'Skin and bone' very much. My little baby better be healthy when he's born.

Naruto-kun's blue, blue eyes widened and brightened as he ran his hand gently along my stomach. In a way, my baby and Naruto-kun were bonding. That was good, because I'm sure that Naruto-kun will be the one to take care of my baby. "There's a lot of chakra gathered in this area," he mumbled. His eyes suddenly turned remorseful. "Your baby's eating away all your chakra."

Gently and weakly, I placed my hand on his arm. He looked up at me, surprise shown on his tan face. I cannot take it anymore. My heart needs to hear it. "Naruto-kun, tell me truthfully; how is my brother?"

His eyes, wonderful as they are, dulled. He opened his mouth to speak and I leaned closer to hear him. I guess I wasn't aware of the old Braille book standing next to my elbow. With my bony elbow, I knocked the frail book down… and on instinct, I moved to catch it. I hadn't meant to move my whole body to catch it, really, but it was difficult to when I was so weak. Something moved and clicked in me… and sensations slowly flooded me.

Naruto-kun paused in his answering, looking at me funny. His hand left my stomach and reached up to steady me on my elbow. I suddenly lost control. My eyes must have been widened when I looked at him. And then, finally, realisation dawned on me.

"Oh," I mumbled.

"Oh?" he echoed.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Oh," I garbled.

"What? What is it?"

"Oh!" I hissed.

Naruto-kun got onto his knees in concern… and the floodgate opened.

"Oh! Ugh!" I shut my eyes tight. My stomach tightened, tightened and tightened some more. I was scared for my baby; was he alright in there? It must be so tight. The muscles in my back cramped, clenching. Pain exploded through me through and through and sweat dripped down my forehead. I didn't dare move from my spot. "Aha, ahh!" Me ears popped.

"Itachi!" I saw a blond blur move next to me. "Ugh, wait. I just sent a clone for Baa-chan, so hold on okay?"

I heave loudly. Pain gripped its ugly clutch on my insides, my legs trembling in pain and my eyes finally failing me.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

"What the hell, brat?!"

----------

"Baa-chan, do something!"

----------

"Damn it. Shizune, get some water!"

----------

"…he's two months early, what the hell happened?"

----------

"Do something! He can't breathe!"

Three different voices flood through me. They were all jumbled, nothing made sense to me. However, two voices were clearer than day.

"…crap, Shizune, get ready. We'll have to give him the C-section. There's no other way out…"

What ever that sentence meant, meant nothing to me. I do not care if they have to give me the C-Section, as long as…

"G-get," a hoarse voice stuttered. "Get my baby out! He can't… breathe…"

Only when I'm in total darkness and alone did I realise that the second voice belonged to me. Well, it matters not now. Whatever happens in the conscious world is nothing I should concern myself with. All I really am aware of is that there's lots and lots of pain.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Just let me know of people are still reading this story. If people are not interested in reading anymore, then I'll stop writing so I can focus on **My Days with the Reaper**.

YAY!! I made this chapter extra long just for you reviewers!! So... just tell me what you think, okay?


	21. Chapter 20

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi (Uchihacest)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**Bond**

_Still Itachi's P.O.V._

The smell of blood was strong and the familiar sensation of pain awoke me. For a passing moment I thought I was back in a battlefield, a place I was more than familiar with. But that thought disappeared when I felt the soft touching of a pillow under my head. Across my stomach, a dulling sensation ran. That must be the aftermath of a c-section. Not daring to move my failing body, I merely turned my head to the right.

Naruto-kun's excited eyes met mine. A large smile was on his lips and he was leaning against the wall. He gently moved closer to me, a dark blue bundle in his long arms. My heart, which I thought failed me once, picked up speed. And for the first time in this decade, I felt the unfamiliar feeling of shyness overcome me. I felt my cheeks heat up and my weak tummy flip in anxiety. Shyness… I never thought I'd feel that brush of self consciousness.

I knew what I was so shy about. Would my baby accept me?

One look at Naruto-kun's encouraging smile dispelled my anxiety. With his left hand, he helped me up while his right hand held tightly onto the bundle. He gently moved it to me… and I was met with the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. In thinking that, I forgot about my beloved brother. My only regret was that my eyes have failed me. All I saw of my baby was the dark blue of the blanket and the bright yellow of Naruto-kun's hair. Earlier, I had not seen Naruto-kun's smile, but I've felt it.

My little newborn was so tiny, so fragile and delicate. Even if I cannot see clearly in detail, my heart yearned and begged for me to feel my little baby in my own arms.

My blond moved my baby closer to me, but I don't raise my arms to greet him. There was no point. I was too weak to hold anything. I didn't want to drop my baby. "You were right," Naruto-kun spoke, "it's a boy." I guess Naruto-kun was determined for me to hold my baby, because he moved behind me and wrapped his long arms around my shoulders. I barely held the bundle in my arms, but Naruto-kun's strength seeped into me. My baby was so warm.

I squinted a little and was met with dark, dark eyes. He was extraordinarily pale. Unlike my dead paleness, my baby has a shine of silver on his skin. The wonderful little eyes slid shut and I felt a shock of panic shoot through me. "It's okay," I heard. A warm breath tickled my neck. "He's born two months early, he'll be fragile, but Baa-chan said he'd be okay," there was a pause. "After Baa-chan and Shizune used their chakras to heal you, it's not safe here anymore. You'll have to move. There's another hut a few miles from 's got some of his sand surrounding it, so it should be safe. When you eat a little, I'll have to move you. Is that okay?"

I nod in gratefulness. How could I ever repay him now?

He let me hold my baby for a little longer while he summoned a clone to get me food. All the while I felt this tiny creature take my heart and hold it captive. He was so very small. The length of my hand was the length of one little arm. But he was so… precious. I have seen mothers coo over their babies and thought they were being ridiculous, but I cannot say that anymore. There was no doubt I love this little thing.

I ate my soup and no sooner I was on Naruto-kun's back. A clone held my baby and my stomach tightened in worry. But the worry ceased when four more clones surround us. Naruto-kun must've sensed my uneasiness, because he made sure to keep the clone and my baby close. We travelled south-west. The hut was on the very edge of the Fire country, very far from the front line and closer to Tea country. The hut was a little bigger. White, soft sand surrounds the whole hut. The sand was chakra enhanced. Kisame, still in ANBU disguise, stood at the front door, his body tensed.

I let myself be carried onto my new futon. On the way we passed the kitchen. I saw stacks upon stacks of baby food and ramen. There are boxes of other things I cannot see clearly. The softness of the futon greeted my sore back and weakened body. I saw the moon outside my window and was reminded of Uchiha Madara. What is he planning now?

The rest of the night…no, the rest of the week passed in front of my eyes like a blur. Naruto had gone back to the fight, where he was needed more. I watch each day pass in a whitened blur. In my weakened and dying body, I was trapped in a line between dream and reality.

It wasn't until I fully opened my eyes, a week later, that I felt my strength return. I gracefully got out of the futon and headed to the tiny bathroom. I took a long, long shower. My hair, too long for my taste, stuck to my wet back and bottom. I twisted it and pulled it over my shoulder to the front. I carefully traced my thin fingers over the thin pink line running across and under my belly. If this line represented my beautiful baby, then I wouldn't mind having a scar.

I pulled Kisame's large yukata over my thin form and stepped out into the kitchen. With each step, I felt raw power seep into me. Where was this strength coming from? It must be that I had been drained for too long. I strode into the kitchen, my long legs barely making a sound. I felt power in every step. Kisame's undisguised form greeted me first, his large shoulders hunched over something and holding a tiny spoon. He didn't here me until I touched his shoulder. Even then he reacted like he's seen a ghost. He squeaked just like when I gave him the book on pregnancy. A smirk graced my face.

"I-Itachi… oh my god! Don't do that!" He yelled, but a large smile was on his shark like features. "Look at your son! He's mocking me!"

My eyes landed on the little boy sitting in the chair. My eyes widened. It's been a week and he already looked a few months old. Feeling a powerful pull, I stepped past Kisame and easily picked my baby up. He squealed in delight and lost his little hands in my hair. The smell of baby powder hit me and my heart did a little dance. Ignoring the rest of the world, I grabbed the cup of food and headed outside. I also ignored Kisame's snickering.

I didn't dare look at my baby in fear of rejection. I found a suitable spot, still within Gaara's sand perimeter, and sat down, leaning against a tree. My baby cooed and tangled up my hair. I put the cup and spoon down and smiled at him. He didn't smile back, but his eyes brightened. I bit my lip when I saw recognition and knowledge in those dark eyes. Ah, that's right; this was no ordinary baby. His mind was almost nearly fully developed, he's more aware than any other baby would ever be. He'll fully grow within a few years. Those thoughts didn't hinder my love.

My little boy's small head fitted so perfectly into the hollow of my shoulder, my hand tucked gently under his bottom. Strong, raw chakra surged from his little form, melding with my strengthening one. He was warm, very, very warm. The soft touch of his head on my shoulder forever burned into my memory. I would never forget this, jutsu or not.

He wasn't hungry, but he ate when I fed him. My little baby cooed a lot and played with my hair. I watch, hours later, when he pulled his hand back, but it was stuck in my hair. He made a sound that sounded like a squeal and I chuckled. His large eyes looked up at me curiously as he ignored his trapped hand. He made an 'oooh' sound and moved his trapped hand up to my face. I leaned into the feather light touch. He moved to my lips and I gently kissed his tiny hand. He made a 'gyaa' sound I laughed, my troubles forgotten.

A few years ago, the thought that I would be cooing at a baby, mine no less, would have been impossibly ridiculous.

We spent hours just playing with my hair. My baby was smart, he didn't need toys. When the sun got near the horizon, I stood up to head inside. I'm surprised my baby hadn't slept once since we got out here. I turned to go back when he made a new sound. "Naa," he cooed. I looked into his eyes, which was a much better way of communication.

"That's right," I whispered. "You haven't a name, have you?"

He gargled and I smiled. Only one name came to me. "Yuuta," I dared whisper. "Uchiha Yuuta," it felt good to the tongue and sounded right. My baby was strong and clever. I looked down to the bundle in my arms for approval. He grinned a toothless grin. His hair was limb and soft, not spiky at all. He'll look like me, I can tell.

I hugged him closer to my chest and walked back to the hut. All the while Yuuta's hands never left my hair. My heart felt less painful… it felt lighter. Oh, it's like falling in love all over again!

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

It's been too long since Naruto-kun last visited. A foreboding feeling had settled in the pit of my stomach. Yuuta seemed to have sensed it, because he would constantly try and distract me from my brooding. He's perhaps a little more than five months old, but my baby looked to be around one or two years old. He's growing so fast I was almost afraid of leaving him alone, if only for a moment. He's growing very fast; I wouldn't dare miss one second of his short childhood.

So when he was steady enough, I took him out. It was an accident how I discovered my baby's love of height. I had thrown him into the air, underestimating my own strength and Yuuta had flown up even higher than the trees. All the while he laughed and giggled. Luckily I had caught him before he got scratched by the branches. He didn't stop giggling. His two front teeth had grown out. He looked so endearing that I couldn't help but throw him up again. He squealed in delight the whole way up and down.

That had been four months ago. My Yuuta learnt how to crawl and walk, but he still preferred to be held off the ground. I love him so much!

I jumped off another tree branch, using my chakra to help. Each day I would take my baby out and jump around on the tress for a few hours. He absolutely loved it! His hands are forever lost in my long hair, but every now and then he would take his arms out and wave them about in the air. His squeals and giggles were loud and music to the forest. Kisame would be right under us just in case my eyes failed me and I couldn't catch my baby. But that has yet to happen, so I didn't need to worry.

"Gyaaaaa!" I heard another squeal right next my ear. I turned over and kissed him on his button nose. He giggled. I chuckled and jumped off the branch. Yuuta squealed in delight at the height. Landing gracefully on the forest floor, I held my Yuuta up to Kisame. The shark man twitched, having a glaring contest with my baby.

It was no surprise that my baby can glare. Did I not mention before that this is no ordinary baby?

I held Yuuta up higher. Kisame crossed his arms in defiance. "No way, Itachi," he grunted. "Not after what he did this morning. He made a stain on Samehada's bandages! It's a stain, a stain Itachi! I can't get it off! Now my precious Samehada is a pink blob…"

I raised an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, you said the exact same thing to Pein when I dropped a melted Pokey on your sword. And that was years ago. You forgave me, right?" He twitched some more, his small, round eyes narrowing into a squint. I huffed. "Fine, I'll get it off for you." He smiled and took Yuuta gently from my arms. I walked back into the hut, intent on making Samehada's wrappings clean again.

Behind me I heard, "No, no, leave the headband alone! Damn it, kid! You could've poked my eyes out!"

An amused smirk played on my lips. A stabbing pain shot at my heart, but I ignored it. My lungs squeezed tight, my breath becoming labour as blood threatened to spill out. I leaned over to the sink and coughed it up quietly. Despite the strength I felt raging through me, I body was still on its way to the grave. This… I cannot ignore. Several minutes passed before my coughing eased up, leaving me breathless and heaving. Washing the blood off of me on the sink, I took Samehada and eased it towards the sink. I worked several minutes on the pink stain.

It didn't come off completely, but it can barely be seen. Kisame should be pleased. I rewrapped the long bandages around the giant sword, careful not to let it frain my chakra. It was nearly my height, a fact that displeases me. I wasn't that short, was I? But then again, I never really measure against anyone around my age. I just assumed that I was one of the tallest. Turning to leave, a sound from a bag in the corner caught my attention. Taking a kunai out and holding it up, I moved carefully to the innocent looking bag.

The sound became clearer… it became a snoring sound. Oh, that's right, I had another companion. Putting the kunai away, I opened the bag and gently took Hidan's head out. He was still snoring and I frowned. How can anyone sleep for months straight? Making a quick and selfish decision, I quickly left the hut with the head in my hands. It was wrapped in a green blanket. I headed deeper into the forest, away from the hut.

I stopped at a small lake and walked on to the water. I couldn't risk having Hidan near my baby. Instead of becoming a source of information, he's now become a threat. I don't like threats.

I stopped when I was at the centre of the round lake. Hidan's snoring stopped just as I raised my arms up to drop him. I froze. His eyelids slowly slid open. "What are you doing, princess?" He croaked. I don't answer. Perhaps he was sleep talking to a princess in his dream? "Don't think I don't know what you're fucking up to. If you drop me in this shit-ass Lake I swear I'll hunt you down and rape you dry." I decided that he was, indeed, not sleep talking.

"You're worried about getting water in your mouth?" I asked. Actually, I quite enjoy talking to someone that was not caught up in this war or my tragic life. "Worry not; you have no lungs to suffocate from. This is actually better than being buried alive, you realise?"

"Fuck you, literally. What the hell's the point of digging me up, only to drown my later?"

I shrug.

"Fine, bitch," he cursed. I didn't react. I was more than used to his language. "But I swear, when I get out of this lake, I'm going to hunt you down and sacrifice you to Jashin-sama, you hear"

"Hn," I grunt. Reaching into my back pouch, I pulled out a paper seal. It was not explosive, merely chakra enhanced. There was no point trying to kill Hidan, I realised. He truly was immortal. I placed the seal over his mouth, forever sealing him silent. He makes unrecognisable noises, but I ignored it. I held up my arms once more, gave him a slight peck on the lips… before letting go. I watch silently as his eyes turned vengeful. I smirked maliciously. There was no point in trying to get revenge on me, I thought. I won't be alive long enough for that.

Without waiting until he fully sinks, I turned and headed back. That was one burden off my shoulders.

A shocking scene met me when I got back. Well, it wasn't really shocking, just surprising. Naruto-kun's broad back greeted me. He turned around, Yuuta in his arms. But he was not smiling sincerely like was supposed to be. He strides over to me, leaving Yuuta in Kisame's arms. Kisame was, luckily, still in his ANBU disguise. I was strongly grabbed by my arm and led a little way from the duo. I didn't have time to react when he shoved a three pronged kunai into my hands. This is one of the ones he uses to perform the Hiraishin. I held onto the kunai in confusion.

"I can't stay for long," my Naruto-kun spoke, his voice tense and strained. "I'm being trailed. Two armies, with seven hundred men in total are heading down form the north and the east. Madara's made his move I guess. Most of our shinobi are fighting in the front line. I don't exactly know what these two armies are after yet, but Shikamaru's working on it." He paused to catch his breath, his eyes constantly darting around the forest. He seemed panicked. "This kunai, keep it with you all the time, alright? Just throw it if you're in danger and I'll come." He gripped my arm tighter. "Baa-chan is in a coma. The stupid councils are worry about a new Hokage instead of the war. 'Tachi, I don't know what to do."

It suddenly occurred to me that despite his size, Naruto-kun was still much younger than I am. He's but a child. He needed my advice, I've been in a war before and he needed that experience. I used my free hand to grip his free arm. "You and otouto worry about the two smaller armies. Leave the frontline to the older shinobi. If you and Otouto can get rid of the two smaller armies, then they wouldn't be a threat to the frontline battle. Let Shikamaru, Sakura, Hyuuga Hiashi and Ibiki worry about those old fools of a council. You must get rid of a threat before it becomes a problem."

"But… there are only two of us, just me and Sasuke."

"Yes," was my simple reply. "You constantly underestimate your own abilities." I perked up as four unfamiliar chakras entered the perimeter of the forest. "Go now," I rushed the blond, gently releasing his arm as he releases mine.

He nodded and turned to rush away, but turned back at the last second. "Stay safe," he growled. "Stay here." I failed to react as he leaned in and slammed his lips upon mine. The pain was instant, but the kiss only lasted for a second. He became a yellow flash, before he completely disappeared. I stayed frozen; wondering of the encounter had been a dream.

Then, as if poured onto me suddenly, Naruto-kun's words surfaced in my hazy mind. Again and again bad things happen all around me. Frustration and fury built p in me and I clenched my fists. Did I not kill my own family to keep the village safe?! Did I not become a human weapon to keep that same village standing?! Had I not sacrifice everything I had just for the sake of that forsaken village?! Then why are these things happening!? I brought my hands up to my face covered them. My hands slipped away and black flame shot to the tree on the other side of the clearing.

Madara: that vile, evil man. He's planned this, I just know it. He knew what I'd do to protect my brother. He knew what I'd do to protect the village and he knew just what I have done to keep the village safe!

I panted from my trains of thoughts. The only sound in the clearing was my heavy breathing and the flickers of dead, black flames. Violent coughs threatened to overcome me, but this was not the time. My decision was made before I even knew what I was thinking about.

It was simple really. I couldn't understand why I hadn't thought of this sooner. I almost laughed out loud at my own foolishness.

"Kisame," I started, my voice bordering hysteria. "Go inside and pack, please. We're going back to Konoha."

"Itachi…"

"Yuuta," I whisper. "Come here."

I needed to hold my baby. I needed to hold Yuuta and he knew that. Easily sliding out of Kisame's large arms, my baby walked shakily over to me. I picked him and brought him to my chest. My breathing calmed almost instantly and he snuggled into my neck. His hands once again lost in my hair. I deeply breathed in the smell of my baby's baby powder, his little form filling my arms and making me whole. The mere thought of sending this little angel out into the battlefield shook me whole. What had I been thinking?

"Itachi," I heard Kisame. With my baby still in my arms I turned and watch as Kisame locked the door and placed a seal over it. "Are you sure about this? Would Yuuta be safe there?"

Without waiting for him, I jumped into the first branch and took off towards Konoha. "He'll definitely be safe as long as nobody else knows of his identity. Plus, you'll protect him, won't you Kisame?" It wasn't a question. Kisame would protect Yuuta at all cost, I've seen it now. "Nobody will have to know he exists at all."

Night fell on the forest and we stopped. I wrapped a thick, dark blue blanket around my baby. It was still chilly. We didn't dare start a campfire less we attract unwanted attention. All the while my baby never left my arms. I hugged him tighter, as if to protect him from what's happening in the world. Naruto-kun told me to stay at the hut, but I cannot sit back. Not only that, but deep down, this was the perfect excuse for me to see my little brother again. The thought of him saddened me, but a little kiss on the nose from my baby made it all better.

When the morning came, we picked up where we left. Somehow, my baby knew enough not to make loud noises. He giggled and squealed at the height, but never too loud. I stopped suddenly. "Kisame," I started. "If you wish, it is not too late for you to back off of this ordeal. You can still make it to another country."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, before speeding ahead of me. It seems that he was sticking by me till the very end. Had I not committed too many sins to have a friend such as him?

My little Yuuta giggled at his shark man. I smiled at the utter cuteness. The soft skin of his chubby cheek tickles my lips as I placed a loving kiss on his cheek.

It wasn't until the gigantic gates of Konoha appeared on the dark horizon that what I about to do caught up with me. A painful quench came over my fragile heart, but I ignored it. I'd have to do it soon, or I'll change my mind and become a coward. First I'd have to find Naruto-kun and get him to make a promise. "Come," I ordered to Kisame.

Naruto-kun lives in the mansion with otouto, Karin and Juugo. Suigetsu was most likely still out in the frontline, having the time of his live mercilessly killing the enemies. But I cannot risk going to the mansion. Yuuta's existence is to remain top secret and priority. Which was why I summoned the little black crow. With a puff of smoke, the crow cocked its head to the side, awaiting my message. "Please find Uzumaki Naruto and tell him to meet me at training ground twelve, but make sure only he knows." It cooed, before flying off.

We headed straight to training ground twelve. The streets were empty, safe for the few guards and the workers returning home. We didn't have to wait long. Naruto-kun came with a flash of yellow. And judging by the expression on his face, he wasn't happy. "Itachi!" He yelled. "What… what are you doing here? Wha… you brought Yuuta?"

My heart felt too heavy for me to compose a reply. I opened my mouth to tell him of my suicidal plan, when Shizune and Harake Kakashi shushined into the clearing. Their expression was not shock, as I've expected. They didn't react to my presence at all. This made me suspect that they knew of everything already. I heard Shizune gasp, however, when she spotted my baby. "Is that… the baby?"

I nod hesitantly. Little Yuuta peered out from the blanket at the familiar voice of Shuzune. Said woman gasped again, her eyes lighting up in delight. "He's grown so much and it's only been a few months," she whispered. "What's his name?"

"Yuuta," I quietly replied.

Irritation was getting the best of me. This was not the time to coo over my baby… no matter how adorable he is. I need to say something. But first I need to know where the armies are first. I completely ignored the two unwanted visitors and turned to Naruto-kun, who was staring at me tensely. No doubt he had a suspicion about what I _might_ be up to. "Naruto-kun, where are the armies located in… exactly?"

His eyes narrowed, but he answered anyways. "From the north gate it's about eight miles. They've stopped marching for the night. Why are you asking?"

I stepped up closer to him, Yuuta nuzzled between us. I dare to meet his pained eyes. "Will you promise me something?" His fists quenched tightly. "Will you promise me… to protect Yuuta at all cost?" My voice shook a little, but I held back to painful sob. "Promise me you'll watch over Yuuta. Promise me?"

"I…" His voice tightened. "I promise, but why are you asking me this? What are you going to do? Damn it, Itachi, I told you to stay at the hut!" He… no, they didn't need to be told of what I would do. Slowly, understanding dawned on their shocked faces.

There was silence all around us. The world didn't matter at that moment. I licked my lips and slowly handed Yuuta to my most trusted blond. Each millimetre that my baby got away from me, my heart beats slower. It felt like my baby was pulling the strings of my heart with him. Unshed tears blur my vision. Yuuta stared at me with wide, shock eyes and I knew that if his body could keep up with his mind, Yuuta would be yelling at me. I leaned in one last time and placed a longing kiss on his little forehead, my hand brushing his soft hair. "Make sure he doesn't forget me," I croaked; my voice tight with parting pain.

Iy will be okay if he grew up not knowing who I was to him, just as long as he remembers me, even if by a little.

Luckily for me, Naruto-kun was too shock to move. He was staring straight ahead, hoping against hope that this was a dream. My little Yuuta whimpered and it was the most painful sound I've ever heard. I painfully turned away from the two and towards the two most level-headed about this. Shizune and Kakashi stared at me, their eyes wide and almost sad. But they needed to do what's best for the village. "Make sure he doesn't follow me," I commanded softly. "Make sure nobody knows."

I didn't wait for an answer. I left and leaped up onto a branch. Behind me, I heard the sound of a heavy body fall onto the ground, most likely Kisame's. Then a miserable sob echoed.

I held my sobs and tears in, just like I always do. This is nothing new. When I was nearly out of the village gate, a compelling feeling changed my direction. With heavy, un-beating heart, I recognise the path. The Uchiha compound sat like a king, overlooking the rest of the village. One light was on in the main house. By instinct, I disguised my chakra and headed to the only light. Without any effort, I slid in through the window.

My heart quenched tightly at the sight. My beloved little brother was asleep, hunched over a desk and a mission report. It was like seeing him for the first time. He was… much bigger than when I saw him last. And the fact reminded me that he was nearly eighteen already. He wasn't a child that needed my attention anymore; in fact, he was the one who pushed me away. But that still didn't stop me from say my goodbye. I needed to say goodbye, I needed to touch him… just one last time.

Was it just me, or was my beloved glowing. He was just so beautiful; would anybody else notice his elegant beauty? Would some woman fall for this in the future and make him happy?

I silently made my way over, taking my time to make this last longer, but hurrying because I could get caught. I raised my right hand to his messy hair… and realised how dead my hand looked against him. Refusing to let my dead-like features hinder me, I gently ran my hand through his hair. He shifts a little, turning his head towards me and I froze. Dark, dark shadows were under his eyes, a sure sign of not enough sleep. It was understandable. My thumb traced the shadow under his left eye.

Does he miss me… like I miss him? Does his heart squeeze painfully when he thinks of me? Does he think of me at all?

I'm surprised he has not reacted to a strange chakra in his own room yet… and decided to push my luck. I tiredly leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the side of his forehead. And just like all those months ago, a warm, tingling sensation brushed my lips. It would be so easy, I thought. It would be so very easy to just change my mind and stay here, to just forget about the war and just hold him. But that was almost impossible; I could never get what I want.

And just like on that night, ten years ago, I became the thing I was born to be; a weapon. Clenching my jaw and standing up straight, I headed out of his room through the door and out into the hallway. That warm tingling of my heart was left behind… in the room of the man I gave up everything for. I was silent as I head towards my own abandoned room. Karin's chakra was peacefully resting on the next over. I silently slid the door open, and the smell of rose instantly hit my senses. My belly flipped, but my face remained blank. I'd done too much to turn back into a helpless man.

Ignoring the pot of roses on a desk for now, I gathered what weapons I have. I sealed many, many weapons in a scroll and put it in my pouch. I picked up my abandoned katana and strapped it on my back. Hopefully the katana would not be mad at me for forgetting about it. With all the weapons I could carry on me, I pulled out a shuriken and turned towards the pot of roses. Not even stepping one step closer and with the small flick of my wrist, the rose buds fell from the main branch, falling onto the wooden desk; dead. The vine was now rose-less.

There was one very last thing to do. Once I've done this task, I would be running to my own grave.

Back in my brother's silent room, I allowed my self one last longing look at him. I placed a light seal on his hunched back and it disappears as soon as it touches his back. The paper seal fell off, but the blood that I used for ink was not on it. The design of the seal flashed once on his broad back, before disappearing. I bent down to place a kiss on his head… but stopped. If I kissed him, I wouldn't be able to go.

Ignoring the searing pain in my chest, I turned and hopped out the window. I didn't dare look back. And even if I can no longer see him, his burning presence still left a searing pain in my wounded heart.

I used the trees and the rooftops as a way of travelling. The streets were too open; I can easily be spotted. I kept my mind straight, refusing to think anything near the subject of my son and my brother. My son; I have a son now. The pain of separation was almost unbearable and I wonder how I will last in the upcoming battle. Never I mind about that now. Kisame's large, broad form blocked my way, standing rigidly on the rooftop.

His eyebrows were furrowed, a deep, pained frown marring his face. His eyes were darker than I've ever seen, and I regret that I was the one doing this to him. Even with all our years together, I never realised he cared so much. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to say something, most likely yell at me. But realisation dawned on him and he closed his mouth again, releasing the breath he took in. "What do you want?" He groaned.

"I…," my voice cracked under pressure. "I don't understand."

He released a long, furious sigh and I'm afraid he'll get too loud. I didn't want anymore encounter. "You've always been thinking about that damn brat who doesn't even appreciate you anymore," his voice, thick and deep was calmed and suppressed. Even so, I feel a lot of anger behind the calm voice. After all, it was shivering from the strain of keeping calm. "You do everything for him. He's on your mind all the damn time and I'm sick of it. You love him, he's your little brother and I can understand that, but damn it, you need to think about yourself once in a while! The only think you've ever done for yourself was getting some pocky!"

He dared step closer and I freeze. The truth of his talk was deafening, but I wouldn't change that fact for anything. He gripped my arms tightly, but gently. "So, just once; because I know I can't change your mind, do something for yourself. I'm asking you if there's anything I can do for you. Anything at all."

Want and need flooded me. I knew what I wanted, but that was impossible. I've denied myself too many humane things, this would not be different. But, if I could, I'll take what little I can. Let's just hope Kisame's a good liar. But that wasn't important, I didn't need for him to lie perfectly, I just needed to _hear_ it… from someone else. I looked up at his dark eyes. A deep, deep pain formed at my forehead, but tears still didn't fall. I ignored the pains coming from other parts of my dying body. I was a ticking time bomb and I need to get out of here.

"Lie to me," I whispered. "Tell me… that everything will be alright, that I'll be okay."

I was so very relieved that my voice was quite cold and indifferent. This… this was the voice that I've been using for the last ten years. I watched as Kisame's eyes dimmed as finality fell on him. It was actually a very heart breaking sight, to see the fire in his eyes that makes him, _him_, dim into nothing. He didn't hesitate. The grip on my arms became softer, almost like a father's touch to his young son. This was the touch that I've never experienced. To my real father, I was but a living weapon.

"You'll be okay. What ever you've plan to do, I would rather not know all the details or I might not let you go, but you'll be alright. You'll come back, safe and sound. You'll hold you son again, you'll eat all the pokey you want," his voice turned desperate, as if he was lying to himself now and not to me. "You'll come back here, your Yuuta would be so happy and… Sasuke would finally get the stick out of his ass and talk to you." His grip loosened a little, enough for me to escape. "Everything will be just fine. You'll be alright…"

Had no one else ever experienced it before? That sliver of a passing moment and you knew you had to escape. I felt it, through and through. It was fast and very easy to miss. It was a moment of weakness. It was the need to stay. No, it was more than that. It only lasted a moment, but the meaning it held horrified me. In that one moment, I decided to stay and not go. Of course, that thought immediately disappeared. But I wasn't something I would like to feel just before I go into battle. I had to escape or my will, will crumble and hold me back.

I waited for the right opportunity. So when the next breeze blew by, I wasted no time. Three soft thuds sounded in the night. One thud was a push to get Kisame away from me. The second thud was my kick to his thigh, to get him on the ground, so his fall wouldn't be so painful. And the final thud was my hand connecting with his neck, where a sensitive pressure point laid. His body fell towards the ground, unconscious, but I lowered him down gently, so the fourth thud never sounded.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

I went to the smaller camp first. The sight that met me as I landed on a tall tree was quite hope-crushing. They were all in a large, large clearing, similar to the one that Naruto-kun and Kakashi fought me in before my battle with my brother. Hundred and hundreds of camouflaging tents were set up. The site was so very dark, my eyes would fail me, but I trust my instinct. This was the smaller of the two camps. If I can survive this camp, then I would try and take the second camp down with me. But if I cannot live through this, then I can only hope two of my beloveds can take out the other.

However, I have every intention of surviving this camp and taking down the second one.

I didn't need to kill all of three hundred men. I just need to kill some and injure others enough so that they cannot fight anymore.

Fear of the sheer numbers of soldiers seeped into me, but I've done this before.

Sitting back into the dark shadow of the night, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Memories of that fateful night flooded me in massive waves. Raw, untamed power surged through me. My eyes pulsed as the Mengekyou Sharingan reappeared. My chakra, once blue, but now tainted purple, surged through my limbs. I opened my eyes, but the sight of the camp never met my eyes. Everything was so clear. I can see every little detail. But instead of seeing the tents and men, I was met with walls and wandering Uchihas.

It was going to be the massacre all over again. And if that was what would make everything okay, then so be it.

Taking what could possibly be my last deep breath, I launched. I soared high above the treetops and out into the open night sky. I was wearing all black, so the men below never saw me coming. I landed… and the unfortunate young shinobi closest to me never even knew how he died.

I delivered the deaths fast and painless, mostly. The ratio was three-hundred to one, but it was exactly this way on the night of my clan's death. I had no problem. If I have killed those numbers years ago, then no doubt I would do it again.

With each blow my reasons of being here slipped pass me. Two hours into the fight and all I knew was that I needed to kill. I'd forgotten why I was even killing these men. I didn't care why I was here, I didn't even remember the reason I was slaughtering these men. All I knew, all that my weak body knew was that I cannot stop, that there was a very crucial reason why I was doing this.

My brother… my son… Naruto-kun… Kisame… they were completely out of my mind's reach.

Who they were, I cannot tell.

I was the perfect killing machine; the ultimate weapon, that was all.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Four in the morning, I think it was. The first camp I ambushed had gone down with barely any fight. I should have suspected something was up when it only took me two hours to kill nearly _**three hundred men**_. I had been foolish, too cocky in my own abilities. The second camp had four hundred men. It would not take much of me to destroy those numbers, but things had gone wrong.

When barely twenty men stood, my body had shut down. My legs gave up, my eye sight having finally failed me. I could no longer see. I was blind. My sickness surged up, eating at my heart, then my lungs and finally my other organs. I stumbled and doubled over in pain in the middle of a kill. That moment of weakness and pain was all that they needed to bring me down.

In my state of blindness, I felt a kunai pierce in my back, near my right shoulder blade. The pain did not affect me. Nothing can compare to the pain in my insides. The strong smell of smoke was all around, accompanied by the stench of blood and burnt flesh. The sound of groaning, whimpering and gargling was there also. The thought that I had been the one to cause all those pain pained me. I didn't like this. If I could help it, I wouldn't even hurt a hair on their head. I wish I could tell them that, to tell them that I had no other chose. But would they believe me when even my own brother doesn't?

"You… you demon!" A rough, hoarse _female_ voice hissed. I felt my hands being brought together, one on top of the other and a kunai stabbed in, piercing my hands together. Blood oozed out and even more flowed from my shoulder. I fell on my knees and doubled over in a coughing fit. "How can you kill like that? Theses men had families! They have a life, something that you probably don't! How can you just destroy them like that?" Shock and pain was evident in her voice.

It was at this point that I knew I cannot escape. She and the remaining shinobi were at full strength, while I was already half way to death. "You filthy demon!" Another kunai stabbed into my left thigh. If I didn't die from my disease, then I would die from blood loss. If I didn't die from that blood loss, then I would surely die of heart break. "You just killed seven hundred people!" The female's voice tremor as a loud sob broke through her. But I was way past the point of caring. "Even death… is too good for you!"

My heart sunk slightly at her words. This cannot be. Death was the only ting for me now!

"P-please," I heaved, blood gushing out of my mouth.

"They're all dead," she cried. "They're all dead… and nothing you can do can bring them dead. You… you don't even deserve to live! I… I…" she broke down, crying out loud. I didn't know what was happening around me and this young girl. I cannot see, but I had hope. This girl was my only hope. She was confused and terrified, this was the perfect opportunity.

"That's right," I whispered, my voice cold and uncaring, unlike how I truly feel. Just like on the fateful night of the massacre, I turned into a monster. "They're dead. I would get up and do away with the rest of you, but you know what?" She twisted the kunai in my hands at my uncaring taunting. "That would be a waste of time. You're not even worth killing!"

My hope rose a little higher as she screamed in outrage. I felt a kick on my back, sending me forward and onto the ground on my face. I didn't see, but I heard her heavy breathing and her scrambling feet coming closer to me. My body was at the point that pain cannot register. There really was only one thing for me; death. Her heavy breathing was near my ear, then she grabbed a handful of my long, long hair. Using my hair, she pulled me up and onto my bleeding knees. I felt blood flow from my scalp and down into my unseeing eyes.

I didn't care that I can no longer see. I would not like to see what I looked like. I must be a pathetic sight.

"You can't say that!" She screamed. "You're the demon here! You're the one who should die!"

I didn't care. I was slowly draining the sanity from this girl. I was torturing her for my own purposes, but I didn't care. I was going to die either way, but I would rather die at this poor girl's hand than by blood loss. So I sucked a cold breath through my clenched teeth when the familiar cold blade of a kunai pressed at my throat. Resignation of my pending demise fell upon me. I was ready to die… with lots of regrets.

There was nothing for me here. I was blind. My insides are torn apart, my heart barely beats, my lungs barely providing with the oxygen it promised. I… have nothing else. Even without my sight, I felt more than anything as she gripped my hair harder, yanking me up higher on my knees. My thigh was throbbing as blood escaped like a river. My right arm was no longer able to move, the kunai was jammed in my shoulder blade. The young girl brought the kunai away from me. I heard the slight wind as the kunai came back down, down closer to my vulnerable neck.

My legs gave out. Above me I felt the kunai pass over my head, cutting my hair in short. Later I felt the tips of my now short hair brush on my shoulders. Well, I had been wanting a hair cut...

Without my permission, my body has survived for a minute longer. Without any blood flowing down there, my legs had become too weak to hold me up as my knees slid apart. The girl above me screamed once more in her state of insanity. She kicked me from my stomach so I lay on my bleeding back. I rolled over… and laid on the kunai that was once in my shoulder blade. From my heavy weight, the kunai went through my right lung and out the front. A heavy, pained breath left my bloody mouth.

To be able to die peacefully without resisting, that is a difficult task. But I knew that when a person that was bound to die by any means has no other way out. When a person's body fails them and they were in utter pain, death suddenly doesn't feel so unpleasant. Somehow, at this thought, I think that the Shinigami should feel offended. But now is hardly the time to be thinking silly thoughts like that.

I opened my eyes, but darkness met me. Ah, that's right, I was blind. I needed to die now or the girl will lose her fire. "Why are you not killing me yet, hmm?" I croaked. "Are you that pathetic, little girl?" Well, I certainly can't be sure if this lady was a girl or not, but her voice sounded young, so I'll go with that. "You cannot even… kill the man… that k-killed all your comrades…" I couldn't finish the sentence properly. I took a long, deep breath for my last sentence. "If you don't… kill me soon, I'll die from… blood loss. Then… how will you get revenge…?"

I felt movements. My raging instincts tell me that she was going for the kill. This was it, this was the end. The crimes I've committed have finally caught up with me. And now, in the form of a young female, my sins are punishing me. In my final moments, the pain slipped away, thoughts of my beloveds filled my head. I allowed myself a small, loving smile.

In total darkness, I felt the tip of the kunai penetrate the skin over my heart. The weapon stopped, though. It didn't go in much, only a few centimetres, but not enough to touch my slowing heart.

However, my heart did, slow. The smile slowly slipped off my face… and I felt my heart stop.

She… didn't kill me? My own heart gave up on me?

* * *

Ahhh, this is awkward. Please forgive me faithful readers. I had been so discouraged in the last chapter.  
But... because there were so many encouraging and slightly... scarey reviews, I will try my best to continue and finish to story.  
It won't be long before this story finishes.

Thank you to those who voted on the name for the baby.

And I'm sorry if anything was not to your liking in this chapter. I actually had planned on not conuing. So....

Anyways, review if you can!

Next chapter is called TIME. Again, I'm running out of words to describe a chapter...


	22. Chapter 21

9i Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi (Major Uchihacest)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**Warning: A little more than insane Sasuke…**

**AN: Hey, lets move on from the fact that I haven't updated in ages and focus on the fact that I'm doing it now... okay?**

**Enjoy!**

**Phantasm**

After everything that has been flown my way, disasters after disasters, I don't know why I continue to live anymore. Everything I look at, everywhere I look, and things were bland. Nothing stood out and caught my attention. Nothing made my heart jump or made me feel something. My heart has been too numb and dormant I wonder if I still have it at all. How many months has it been? No… how many years has it been? Logic told me that it has been just over a year since I last saw him, but my aching heart told me it had been decades. I don't know which one was true, but I believe my logic… because that is all I have left.

I finish my meal that Karin had prepared and stood up, heading outside without a word. They were used to it, they all were. The change in me was apparent to them all, but there as nothing they could do. People, who claimed to be my friends come and try to talk to me, but end up feeling awkward themselves and run away. I don't blame them. I wouldn't even want to talk to myself anyway. I know what they see in me. They see a handsome man with no expression, but they _know_ that I am a monster. They _know_ of what I did that drove my most beloved one away. They _know_ of things I said that broke that one's heart.

They see a monster… and yet I cannot bring myself to try and change their minds.

I remember that day clearly. I remember his little face, blank and cold, but still pained. Maybe that was it. Maybe his lack of expressions was what drove me to push him away. But I knew otherwise; I wasn't stupid. Things ran deeper and thicker between us. There was something in our blood; love or hate I have yet to figure out. But one thing for sure; I miss him very much.

I stepped closer to the wooden ramp that extended over the dark lake. How long has been since I last stepped foot onto this place? I look up, at the end of the ramp… and saw him. He was there, sitting with his back to me, his long black hair tied up neatly. His legs were down, dangerously close to the black lake. I step closer and he looks over his shoulder at me. His light yukata swayed with the wind, threatening to slide off his slim shoulders. I took the last few steps until I was standing right behind his sitting form. He looks back over the lake, but still aware of my presence.

"You know I hate it when you hang your legs like that. You never know what's in the water," I softly speak. I sit down next to him, very close, but never actually touching him.

My brother doesn't speak, but he pulls his legs up anyway. I smile a little in relief. This was it; this was the very reason why I continue to live this empty life. Aniki; he was my only reason. I look lovingly at him. He doesn't look at me, but I know he feels my gaze. His face is unreadable and frozen, but his eyes were ever so soft. He turns and looks at me for the second time that day. His eyes softened considerably and I know he is pouring his love into me. My heat swell and I relish in the feeling that is so very rare nowadays.

I bring my hand to gently cup his pale face, but I feel nothing. My hand passed right through him and he slowly fades away. I see trees and bushes behind him… _through_ him. He glows softly and disappears completely. I smile a small, bitter smile. Aniki was so shy; he's always hiding from me. I sigh quietly and stood up. It was okay though, I can wait. He'll come back.

"Sasuke," I heard. "Hokage-sama wishes to see you."

I don't turn to acknowledge the messenger. Using a simple shushin jutsu, I appear in the Hokage's office. Unlike many weeks ago, the desk was tidy and the room doesn't stink of sake. I meet the dark gaze of the old man. In looking at this despicable, disgusting creature, I knew my blood should be boiling and veins should be threatening to pop, but it doesn't. I cannot bring myself to bring forth my hatred for this man.

"Uchiha Sasuke, welcome," he speaks quietly. His ANBU tensed behind him and I wonder why they even bother anymore. Had they not noticed my zombie-like state over the last few months? I don't answer the new Hokage and he continues, not one bit bothered by my silence. "I would like to know what you think of the event that happened two months ago," he states.

Two months ago, what happened then? Oh, right, the sudden massacre of the two smaller armies from the enemies. What do I think of that event? "There's nothing for me to think about," I answer. "It's for the good of the village."

He raised one wrinkled eyebrow in amusement. "You do not regret that you were not the one to kill your brother?"

"No."

His eyes suddenly turn colder, if that was possible. "My sources told me that you and your brother were... involved in a relationship that is beyond brotherhood. I don't have an opinion on that matter, but you must've mourned his death greatly, am I correct?"

"Hn." What the fuck does this old geezer want from me?

We stood in silence for a few long minutes, before he opens his mouth to speak again. "And what do you think of the event that happened a month ago?"

Hmm, what happened then? Ah, Uchiha Madara, my ancestor whom I thought was dead suddenly appeared, all geared up in Akatsuki cloaks and everything. He came to the village, easily slid through the guards and came straight for me. He stood face to face with me, his stance relaxed but his once visible eyes held so much hatred. I had thought that his hatred had just been gathered over his long years, but I had been wrong. He directed his hatred to me and I wonder why. He opened his mouth… and the first words that flew out were, "_You foolish, stupid little boy._"

I remembered standing there, out in the sun and staring at Uchiha Madara like he was a dream. He told me things, he truly did. My team stood beside me, in the empty training ground seventeen and listened as the old Uchiha went on. He said a few things. He cursed me every five minutes and told me how stupid I was for torturing Itachi. By the way he went on; anybody could guess that he had something for Itachi. But I didn't care about that. The only thing that processed in my brain at all was that my Itachi was innocent. I remember every word he said about that, but I don't think I will ever be able to repeat them in fear that they were lies.

"I don't think anything," I reply curtly.

His lips twitched unhappily as he clenched his fist. "That's not true and you know it, boy," he snapped. "What Uchiha Madara said would've changed your life, you must feel something!"

I was unimpressed. "If you're asking me if I will turn on Konoha again for revenge, then you have nothing to worry about. I don't bloody care what you people do, just leave me alone."

He grew furious, and I know I should be happy about that, but I was not. I felt nothing, as always. I don't wait for him to dismiss me. I shunshined out of that horrible place and found myself in a green, lush field. I see him there and smile. He was wearing that black yukata that belonged to our father. It hung off him like a sheet and I see his white shoulders. He was so pale that I worry.

Banishing troubled thoughts away from my head, I stepped closer to him. Aniki smiled at me and held up his hand. I don't take it in fear that he'll shy away from me again. I stepped closer and he starts floating away. I follow him. "I miss you," I state softly. "Danzo is becoming an annoying pest. I don't like him." My brother doesn't answer me, but that was okay. "He keeps asking questions. I bet he's scared that I'll reveal his and the councils' secrets… about the massacre, I mean." He continues gliding and I follow. He was still so beautiful. "But I won't. I don't care about all this crap anymore, I just want you back. But I know you do. I know you care."

He stops in another, much smaller field. I stop too. "That's your problem, aniki. You care too much. These people have done nothing but torment you, and yet you do everything in your power to save them. You even killed yourself trying to protect them all. But they don't know that. They don't even care! You left me behind…"

My angel turns and looks at me with pitiful eyes. He tilts his head as if to question my logic, before glowing and disappearing again. I sigh and fall to my knees. I could feel it leaving me. Every time aniki appears, my feelings, everything that makes me who I am comes back. But when he leaves, just like now, I become a zombie, a shell of what I once was. I run my hands gently over the grass.

I look up and read the kanji on the head stone. **"Here lies Uchiha Itachi. A friend, a saviour, a brother and a father."** I could never understand that last one. Itachi has never had a child, what do they mean when they carved a father in? I should be asking Naruto, but I haven't seen him since Madara came. It nagged at my mind, but I cannot bring myself to care enough. Perhaps I was still mouring for the death of my most beloved, or perhaps I was still in shock. It doesn't matter.

What I know is that I was his death. I drove him away, I attempted to kill him. And now he's dead. He died thinking that I hated him. And yet, even though he thought I hated him, he still came to me, put a seal on my back and transferred his powers into me when he died. He was a saint, I realise. He was a god that was too good for this world. He was too good for them, ungrateful people and he was too good for me. I cannot have him because I was a boy that committed sins after sins, constantly putting my brother in pain.

And now… I can only hope that he's in a better place, even if I cannot be with him.

But it still didn't make things any better. I still want him here, in this horrible, horrible world. I hope he's in a better place, but I want him here. I don't care if he has to suffer, he left me and I want him back. I smile a bitter smile. See, it's thought like these that make me a monster.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

"… _He's gone crazy I tell you! The boy's finally lost it!"_

"_Do you see him sometime? He's always talking to himself!"_

"_He's lost his wits. His dead brother has taken away his wits!"_

"_He's a walking dead man. He probably doesn't even know he's still alive!"_

"_I thought he wanted his brother dead?"_

"_I thought so too, but look at him now. The Uchiha clan… they really are cursed; cursed til the very last man..."_

They talk. They all talk as if they know everything, but they don't. Truly they are just ignorant fools who have nothing better to do. And I wish they knew that. I wish they see what they look like in my eyes. I wish that they see how useless and unimportant they truly are, that they have no value to the world, to me. But I know that isn't true. They must've had some value if my brother died for them.

I was a lost little boy, they would say, looking at me with so much pity. But I wasn't lost. I know exactly where I am. I was in a place that I wasn't moving with the rest of the world. Everyone cared what happened to them, but I was just content to watch. I was trying to find that thing, that thing that made Itachi die. I was trying to understand why he would die for these people, these strangers. He must've had a reason, surely he must! But I have yet to come across something that seemed worth dieing for.

A pained sensation shot up my right leg and I remembered I have to go to get that checked out. I change my course and headed for the large hospital. I ignore everything around me, as always. People who recognised my tried to engage me in a conversation, but I look pass them… _through_ them. They don't exist to me.

I think it was room 302 that Sakura told me to go to. I round a corner and see him. I smile instantly at the sight of my beautiful angel. He was wearing a yukata that could easily be twice his size. He is much thinner, more fragile looking. My eyes went to his stomach. Confusion clouded me as I gaze curiously at his round stomach. He holds a hand to it and I step closer, as if to touch it. Was he sick… what was wrong with him?

"Aniki… I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier…"

"Yuuta!"

My aniki jumps at the loud yell and disappears once more. Fury swelled through me for the first time in months at having lost my brother and I turn to kill the one that made the sound. A sudden pain shot at my injured leg and I yell. I look down to see a small boy, four, maybe five, on his bottom and looking hurt. I narrow my eyes at the little shit. It was his fault; he was the one that ran into me first. "Yuuta!" I hear again and looked up. Shizune ran at us, looking panicked and out of breath. The little boy, Yuuta, stood up and looked back at the woman chasing him.

He looks back at me and I heard my breath hitch. Eyes identical to mine stare at me. "Say sorry," he pouts. I blink and snap out of my daze. This boy looked just like…

"You say sorry," I snap. "You ran into me first."

The adorable pout disappears and was replaced by a glare that looks so damn much like _mine_. "But you're the adult! You have to be responsible!"

"You're the one at fault! You learn to be responsible!" I have absolutely no idea why this kid riles me up so much, but I could guess that it's because he looks so much like my Itachi. The large eyes, the long lashes, the button nose, and the little body; they were all his traits. The only thing that separates the two beings was that this kid has the personality of a rotten tomato... I wonder where he got that from. "Haven't your parents ever taught you to respect your elders?"

He steps back in shock and I immediately feel the pain and sadness rolling off the boy in waves. "He… he never had to," he quietly whisper. Guilt ripped my aching heart apart and I wonder how this boy could make me so affected by being in his presence.

"Yuuta, there you. Come on, we ha…" I watch as Shizune gasps loudly and froze at the sight of me. Her breathing got quicker and I'm scared she'd have a heart attack. "Yu… Yuuta, come here, quickly. We have to go to your uncle, remember?" She gently takes the boy's little hand and tugs him away. The boy, as one last act of war against me, turns his head and pokes his tongue out at me, pulling his left under-eyelid down. I twitch, resisting the urge to do the same thing at the little snot.

I stand still for a few minutes before shrugging and continuing on my way to Sakura's office. Yeah, she's got her own now. With each step that brings me closer to the room, my heart once again regained its cold and a deep aching returned. I wonder what was so special about the little boy that got me so riled up. I've felt emotions that I haven't felt in months. It's like he brought me back to life, only to let me die again when he left.

I knock lifelessly on the white door of room 302. It opens almost immediately after and I watch as Sakura puts on a forceful smile. She was one of those pathetic people. She was always smiling and trying to get me to talk, but she doesn't even realise how foolish she looks. And then she gave up. She gave up when she realised how far I've gone. There was no way to bring me back, only Itachi could do that and she knows that.

"Good afternoon, Sasuke-kun!" I don't reply and her fake smile slowly slips off.

I haven't realised how much I've grown… and now Sakura seemed so small and breakable to me. But I suppose that isn't too surprising. With nothing to do when not on mission or guard duty, I dedicate my time to training none stop. I've grown, but aniki isn't here to see that, now is he?

"Umm, come this way. It won't take long, Sasuke-kun."

I follow her into her small office, sitting down on the small chair that made me feel like a giant. She prepared to check my injured leg and I let my thoughts run free. She touches and probes my leg here and there; some parts were painful while others just annoy me. She does whatever she was trained to do and I ignore her existence. If anyone was not Itachi, then they don't truly exist or matter.

He's sitting on the window sill of the only window in this office. His legs hang from the sill as he looks at me, a playfully smirk on his pretty lips. I stare at him, ignoring Sakura. And then, just like all the other times that he's here, my feelings and everything that make me human floods back to me. He is what makes me human. I smile at him, totally ignoring the gasp that escaped the medic at my sudden smile. A bird suddenly lands on the sill and chirps loudly. I can see the bird, through aniki… _in_ aniki. I frown at the disturbing image. Aniki looks down at his stomach, at the bird that is sitting in his translucent form. He raised an eyebrow and looks up at me, a look of deep confusion replacing the smirk on his pale face.

I want to get up and hold him, to let him know that everything is fine, but I cannot. He glows a little, as always, before disappearing. My heart slows down and returns to its cold, aching state. I'll wait til the next time he comes to me.

"Umm, Sasuke-kun. I'm done. You just need to rest for a little while and then…" She trails off as I get up and exit the room, not even listening to her speech. With my leg no longer hurting, I walk out of the hospital, the other people becoming all but one big blur that I pay no mind to. I make my way to the top of the Nidaime's head. The war didn't actually matter anymore, because Madara was no longer after chaos, but Naruto. But that seemed to be a little difficult to him, because Naruto was almost just as strong as his father, if not stronger. The blonde avoids me most of the time now. I know he's mad at me, furious even. And I do not blame him.

I bet he thinks that I got what I deserve when I found out that my aniki was innocent.

I don't think about that anymore. I don't dwell and kill myself with guilt. No, instead I live in a dream, where only I and aniki exist. I wasn't stupid. I know that the aniki that I see everyday is nothing but a part of my desperate mind. And yet I do not care. He was a beautiful dream. Those constant illusions are the only things I look forward to when I wake up.

I sit until the sun has set.

And then, after realising where my thoughts have been for the last few hours, I stand up, outraged. I slam my fist into the nearest tree. How could I? Thoughts of that little boy have been plaguing my mind, when only aniki should be! There's only room for aniki. Itachi and only Itachi can be in my chaotic mind; there was no room for some weird little boy. And even as I attempt to think otherwise, I cannot forget those dark, dark eyes that stared back at me. There was something about that boy, I just know it.

"What do you think?" I ask.

As always, he doesn't answer me. I turn and look curiously at his large stomach. I sit down once more, scooting much closer to my angel than I ever dare. And yet I don't touch him. I watch, hypnotised, as his slender hand caressed his round stomach. He's so thin. "Have you been eating right?" I ask. He doesn't answer, but I don't mind. Aniki is just shy. "Sometimes I see you in this state, other times I don't. What are you trying to tell me, nii-san?" I don't react when he doesn't answer.

He turns his face to me and I see clear tears rolling down his white little face. He brings his other hand up to where his heart is located and squeezed. He's in pain, I realise. He's hurt because I pushed him away. I broke his heart. "Please forgive me," I whisper. "I'm stupid, foolish; you said so yourself. I make mistakes all the time. But I know you forgive me, because you love me. I'm just not sure I forgive myself." I look at him again, but he is different. His stomach is no longer large, but just a little bump. He is also wearing different clothes, but that hardly matters. He gets up, giving me a sad little smile… before stepping forward and free falling down the Hokage Monument.

I chuckle at his playfulness lightly before slowly getting up. I shake my head, a playful smile on my face. I step forward too… and didn't react when I free fall down the huge mountain. I see him below me, his hair flying everywhere and his clothes flapping about. He's so graceful and he puts me to shame. He falls further and further away from me and I frown. Something is wrong. My shoulders strain and I feel large, rough hands gripping under my armpits. Heavy breathing sounds near my ears and I look up. My eyes widened a little and follow up the chain of orange clad clones.

"What are you doing?!" We both growled at each other.

He clicks his tongue and pulls me up. Once we're on safe ground, he opens his mouth. "You were going to kill yourself?!" I see pure rage in his eyes and stand my ground.

"That's none of your business."

"Yes, it really is. You think I'm just going to let you fall to your death? Look at yourself; you're a walking dead man. What would he think of you when he sees this!?"

"It doesn't matter, because you know what?" I growl. "He won't get to see me!"

"What is wrong with you?" he asks, his loud voice suddenly too clam and collected. "Do you know what you look like? Do you have any idea how painful it is to see you each day, only to realise that you can't even acknowledge the existence of other people?"

"I know what I look like," I answer just as calmly. "I hear them everyday. Those ungrateful people talk and talk, but they don't know how close to death they are every time they mention his name. I should kill them all now for all I know. But I can't do that… because my Itachi died for them, and I won't let his death be in vain."

He furrows his eyebrows in a deep frown, which doesn't suit him at all. "Look, Sasuke, I know it's extremely difficult to suddenly find out that Itachi's innocent in the massacre…"

"He's not completely innocent. He did the killing, remember?"

He goes on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "… But you can't live like this. He wouldn't want you to be like this…"

I step closer to him suddenly, growling as I inspect him closer. He steps back, feeling the threat that I propose. Something occurred to me and I step even closer to him. "You," I hissed. "You were there when Uchiha Madara came to me."

"Y-yeah?"

"He told me all those things… but I really want to know…" He steps backwards, his eyes wary. "…While I was in shock, what were you doing? Sakura was shocked, I don't know about Kakashi but you… you were anything **but** shocked! You knew, didn't you? You knew everything! And yet you kept it from me, despite claming that we were best friends!" I pant a little from my rant. "What else have you been hiding from me, dobe?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, teme," he growls back at me.

"Yet you didn't say no to my accusation…"

His eyes trail down and away from my hard gaze. I hiss and step back from him, my anger draining away from me. "There's nothing left to hide now, is there?"

He avoids my gaze further. "What are you doing here anyway?" I ask.

"I… I just wanted to see you… and see how you were doing. But I can see that I was right to come. You're so miserable that you'd commit suicide?"

I blink blankly. "Suicide? What are you on about?"

"Don't lie to me! You just jumped… no, you just **stepped** off a mountain, Sasuke. If that's not suicide then tell me what it is!"

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX'**

Naruto wasn't going to leave me alone, I could tell. When I didn't answer his question and ran away, I knew he knew something was up. Of course, how could I tell him about my insane phantasms? He would think that I have lost my mind.

I shake my head to get rid of the troublesome events and open the door to my bed room. Karin was in the hospital once more and Juugo was out on a mission, risky as it was. Suigetsu was finally back from the front line, but he had been sleeping none-stop for the last few days, so I don't disturb him. I walk into my room and ignore the pot of dead rose. Aniki killed it, I think, when he came and put that seal on my back. But I couldn't help but think that if I had been awake that night I would've been bale to stop him.

My eyes immediately went to the little form sitting on the edge of my bed, his back to me. "Aniki," I whisper. He turns his head to look over his shoulder at me and I realise that he's holding something. I walk around my bed and sit behind him, my legs hanging around his sides as he sat in between my parted legs. I still don't dare touch him. "What are you holding?" He shifts so that his right shoulder is out of the way and I finally get a look at the bundle that he holds so dearly.

I peak over his shoulder and stare at the… baby. It was wrapped snugly in dark blue blankets, my brother's arms wrapped protectively around the little form. A tiny hand was holding tight onto my aniki's dark, long hair. I look at the face and feel my heart leap for the first time in a long time. A small button nose scrunched up every now and then, his little mouth set apart as he breathed softly; loving the smell of my brother I'm sure. "A baby?" I question. My brother doesn't answer but I don't mind. "When will he wake up?" I ask. The little baby stirred and I get excited. "Whose is it?"

The baby stir once more and finally opened his eyes. Dark, dark eyes are revealed after porcelain eyelids are opened. Those eyes spot me and glare. I blink as the baby poked its tongue out at me. My beloved turned around and looked at me fully. And for the first time… he spoke. _"… Yours."_

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Going to Naruto would be out of the question. He would be too emotional to stay calm, even if I know he knows. I think back to the funeral and race over faces that could possibly know about my son. It wasn't hard; there had only been four people there. I wonder why I hadn't noticed the baby at the funeral. But then… I had been hiding in a bush during the funeral, only coming out when everybody had already left. I could go and try to find Itachi's ANBU, but that would be a little difficult. Only one other face appeared apart from Shizune. Kakashi.

I change my course and make a beeline for the apartment that holds the scarecrow. It is dark out, but I have no trouble seeing. I knock mercilessly on the wooden door and get restless when I had to wait another ten minutes for the damn door to finally open. A silver head poked out and one lazy eye takes me in, before widening in utter shock.

"Sasuke," he mutters, before concealing his shock and smiling with his eyes. "Come in, come in." He opens the door wider and steps back, motioning with his hand for me to come in. I step in and don't go any further. I wasn't here to neither make friends nor drink tea. I was here for one reason and one reason only; my son.

"Where is he?" I suddenly ask him.

He blinks and I get impatient.

"I know you know where he is, Kakahsi. Don't you lie to me too. Everyone's been lying to me for my whole damn life and don't you dare start now. My son, Kakashi. where are you hiding him?"

I watch, not surprised at all, as his only visible eye widened. "Sasuke, let's talk about this."

"No!" I shout. "My son, that's all I'm here for. You have no business in this; just tell me where I can find him."

His eye hardens as he crosses his arms. "I'm not telling you anything until we sort this out first. Now take a seat, Sasuke"

I clench and unclench my fists a few times before deciding to trust my logic in this. I hiss and take a seat on one of his couch. He takes the seat across from me and gives me a long stare, before picking up his book and continuing where he left off. "So… How did you find out about Yuuta?" He asks.

"Yuuta," I gently roll the name on my tongue. My aching heart skips and rolls about at the name and before I knew it, a small smile was already blooming on my face. I think it's a fitting name for a boy like him. I twitch a little when I realised that I had insulted the boy about his personality, which I'm very sure he got from me… I shake my head at my foolishness and answer. "I… saw him at the hospital today. And things kind of… clicked, I guess." Of course, that was a total lie. But I don't think Kakashi needs to know the truth for now…

"Really?"

"Hn."

"So what do you want? What are you going to do when you find him?"

I pause for a little. "I won't harm him, if that's what you were wondering." I glare at the man for a little bit. "I… just want to see him."

"Nothing else?"

I glare at him full force. "Well what do you expect? Of course there's something else. I'm his father! I have a right to be in his live. He needs me… I need him…"

He narrows his one eye at me. "He doesn't need a grown man crying over his loved one, Sasuke. He needs a father. The kid may look fine to you, but people hardly have any idea what it's like to him. Yuuta misses Itachi."

"Does he know?"

He doesn't have to hear the rest of the sentence to understand what I mean. "No, he doesn't know about you. All he knows is that he had one father."

I swallow something that felt like pure agony.

"Why doesn't he know?" My voice cracks a little as I fight down the urge to cry and destroy everything in my path. "Don't you think he'd find out eventually? He's my son. What more can I say?"

"That was Itachi's wish," he says.

Then, almost as if awaken by cold water, I seem to realise that this… all of this is real. I have a son; a real son that truly is mine. Yuuta isn't just a figment of my imagination nor is he some insane illusion like my Itachi. There is a little boy out there, his name is Yuuta and he's my son. He is mine and Itachi's son. "Plus," Kakashi goes on. "You're seventeen, Sasuke. You're too young to be a father. You're at the peak of your career and we're in the middles of a war. Do you really think you can handle being a father at the same time?"

I furrow my eyebrows. "I don't care. I can take him and leave everything behind. We could move away from all this crap." The other Sharingan user narrows his eye, tensing up at my bold declaration. Disbelief is very much apparent in his dark eye. "I will do it, if I have to. I betrayed this village once for my brother, there's nothing stopping me from doing it for my son. I will do it, but I'm hoping it doesn't have to come to that." I advance upon his sitting form and I wonder when I had gotten up. "Now, tell me where Yuuta is!"

He stands up and meets my hard gaze. "If you, in any way, put him in harm's way, Sasuke, then you can be sure that you will receive no mercy. Naruto loves Yuuta beyond anything else; I just hope you don't do anything foolish." He pauses, and then adds, as if an afterthought. "I also hope you're not going to him just to keep a piece of Itachi."

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Maybe it was the way he walked, or maybe it was the look in his eyes that made me follow him. He glides over the green, lush grass and I trail behind him. In his white little hands he holds even whiter flowers that I don't know the name of. There is no doubt in my mind that I know where he's heading. And even though I am aware of the aching that is sure to follow, I still follow him like a lost puppy. Without even knowing it, my eyes rake over his lithe form. He is wearing a black kimono. I suddenly realise that Itachi was a creature of black and white.

"Hey, aniki," I call out. "Slow down." Of course I didn't actually have any trouble following him nor keeping up, but he slowing down would be nice.

He finally stops when we near the graveyard that holds my parents and the clan. He doesn't step any closer to the gate. "Why did you stop?" I ask. I step around him and stand in front of him. His eyes don't look at me, no they stare ahead, right through me. His fine eyebrows are furrowed scrunched up in pain and his hands grip his flowers tighter. He looks broken, crumbled and in such deep pain. Even just looking at this sad sight, I feel my heart ache and clench. What I wouldn't do to get that look off his handsome face. But I am too late, even I know that. There is no aniki for me to protect, because aniki is dead.

"You came all the way here, with flowers and everything, yet you stop just a foot away?" I ask.

He doesn't talk nor look at me, but I know he knows I'm here. I know… because he is but a wonderful, beautiful fantasy created from my strong denial over his death.

"Are you coming in?"

He looks up at me, finally. I stare at him for a long time, before leaning down and trying to smell that wonderful scent of his. But this nothing there. To anybody else I would be leaning down on nothing. He isn't there at all.

I sigh and my lips twitch. An aching gripped my chest and I talk. "How long has it been, aniki? I wonder if you hate me now… wherever you are? You… I don't know what to do with you. Three months, aniki. Three months without you in this world and I wonder if I'm still sane at all. But you're here, you appear to me now and then and I know I'm not sane anymore…"

He doesn't answer me, no surprise there. But I would still like to hear his alluring voice once more.

"You talked a month ago." I state. "Why won't you talk to me now?" He doesn't answer but I go on. "You know, I'm going to find Yuuta today. I can't believe you didn't tell me about him. We have a son together, Itachi, yet you weren't planning on having me in his live at all." I sigh, smiling a little. "But… I don't blame you. After everything I put you through, without even knowing it, I would hate me too." I reach up, as if trying to touch his sweet face. "I just… wish I could say goodbye… or touch you one last time." My hand passes right through his face and I feel a deep longing in my chest; a longing that would never be fulfilled.

He looks up at me, his eyes pained, but regretful. I know what he wants. He's trying to get me to break down and move on.

"Unlikely," I mutter to myself. I would never move on, even if I have to live a slightly insane live like this for the rest of time. "Aniki," I whisper, leaning in even closer, but never actually touching him. "I love you." And he disappears.

I sigh coyly at his shyness.

I should have known that they would hide a child in a remote area of the village, where the evil Hokage won't pay attention to and where they can still raise a child. So I wasn't really surprised when Kakashi's directions, from a month ago, led me to a little farm house in the farming district. A thin dirt road led past the house and a green rice field stands behind the little hut. I sense two chakra sources in the house. With my heart pounding heavily for the first time in months, I carefully walk up to the little hut. I raise my hand to knock, but stop when I hear a loud, booming voice shout.

"Yuuta, damn it! Yes, there's gravity. Stop spilling food on the floor, will you?"

I smile a little and knock. I want to see him so bad. I want to see my son. The thought of me being a father at seventeen doesn't bother me one bit.

The whole house goes silent and I hear a hushed voice. The wooden door opens and I wipe the smile off my face… so that I don't appear insane to whoever opens the door. I don't know what I expected, but I know that whatever I expected wasn't what is standing in front of me, which makes whoever standing front of me unexpected. I look up, begrudgingly, at the taller man… thing. I've seen this… being before. I cringe as I realise I saw him with Itachi… always with Itachi.

Before I even see him, I look down at the shark's legs as a small black head popped out. On his little face was a mask of a demon's face, which I'm sure, was supposed to be scary. "BOO!"

I raise an eyebrow. My son seems to be at ease with this being, so I could guess he has no intention of harming my child. I take another look at my son and almost lost my eyebrows in my hairline. Last month, when I first saw him, he looks about four. But now, only a month later and he looks five.

The little boy sees my lack of reaction and pouts, stepping out from behind the Akatsuki member's legs. "You're not Kakashi-jiji!" He cries, pointing an accusing finger at me. He looks up at the blue man and glares. "You said it might be Kakashi-jiji."

The large man doesn't look away from me. "Yuuta, go back inside."

The boy, whom I was suspecting to be much smarter than he lets on, steps back slowly, before turning and running back into the house. I turn back to the huge man blocking the door. He's glaring at me and I wonder if he felt any bad for his partner's death. The one-sided glaring contest lasts for several minutes, but he relents and looks away briefly. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans on the frame of the door. He sighs and chuckle humourlessly. "I knew they couldn't keep it from you for forever," he says. "What are you going to do, kid?"

I glare at him. "I think I should be the one asking the questions here," I retort. "You're a criminal, what are you doing here?"

He raises an eyebrow and bares his sharp teeth at me. "It's a long story. I'll tell you one day if I feel like it." I roll my eyes; of course Itachi would be paired up with an idiot. "You can come in… but you're not going to kill him, are you?"

"What? Of course not." Why do people always assume that? I'm not always on avenger mode, you know. Plus, do I really appear as such a heartless monster that I would kill my own flesh and blood? This is my son…

He huffs and steps aside. "Fine, come in." I step in and see him narrowing his beady eyes at me. I walk further into the little house and stops in the tiny kitchen, where my son is sitting on a stool, drinking from a wooden cup.

He perks up at the sight of me and hops off the stool. "I know you!" he claims. He stares at me longer and his large smile slips off. I don't understand… was he not pleased to see me? But then I finally realise… I look almost identical to his other father, what could I expect from him? I look at him now and wonder why I didn't figure this out earlier.

I dare test his name on my tongue. "Yuuta," I whisper.

My boy looks uncertainly to his caretaker. The other ninja is standing behind me, so I don't know what his reaction was. "Who are you?" He asks.

I open my mouth to answer, but stop when I realise something. For the first time in a long time, I feel self conscious. What if I wasn't dressed appropriately for my son? What would happen if he doesn't accept me? Questions after questions race through my head… but there was no one to answer. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke," I gently mumble. I decided that I should leave out the 'I'm your father part' for later.

"Oh," was his reply. I wonder if he thinks I'm his uncle. We avoid eye contact. I look at the wall over behind him and he looks at the wall behind me. We were both awkward and nobody could disagree.

I clear my throat, which sounded way too loud in the silent house. "I'm… sorry about the other day… a month ago… when I said some… things…"

I was almost certain that he wouldn't understand what I meant, so imagine my surprise when he answers. "It's okay." I study him further and narrow my eyes. This is no ordinary child. Of course, any child of mine and Itachi's would never be normal, but he is different.

"How old are you, Yuuta?"

His dark, dark eyes widened and look panicky at Kisame and then me. I heard the swordsman shift, but he still stays out of my vision. My son plays with the hem of his green shirt and shifts uncomfortably. I don't like that I am causing him discomfort, but I need to know. I need to know all the dark secrets that my beloved hid from me.

"I'm five," he blurts out loudly. I suppress a grin at the absolute adorableness. My kid was a very bad liar; I'll have to work on that.

"Really?" I taunt. "You're Itachi's son, right?" He nods.

His eyes suddenly widen and he looks me in the eye. "You're related to… my father?" I ignore the quenching in my chest.

"Yeah."

He looks at me expectantly, but when I don't say anything he huffs and ask, "Well, what were you to him?"

I wonder which answer I should give first; that I was Itachi's brother or his lover. But I want Yuuta to know that I'm his father, so I answer, "I'm Itachi's lover."

His lips twitch. "Don't you mean you _were_ father's lover?" He says. A moment past and I realised my mistake. He gives me a strange look and I fight to keep my cool.

"But... but… You have the same last name! You…"

"I'm also his brother," I interrupt. In the near future, I would come to learnt that telling my son of such things isn't the best of idea. However, I would like my son to grow up open minded, not judgemental like those filths walking the streets of the village. "I'm your father, Yuuta." Hopefully he will just accept this and I won't have to go into details. He doesn't answer me, just like his other father, and I don't mind at all. "Now," I start. "Tell me how old you are again."

* * *

I'm sorry if things are confusing. The chapters are jumping all over the place, but that's just the way I write.

Only very few more chapters to go before this fiction of mine comes to an end.

Please review, your opinions are greatly appreciated.


	23. Chapter 22

Title: Forget Your Brother Not  
Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi  
Disclaimer: I own nothing… no doubt…

AU: Try not to get confuse while enjoying my masterpiece… and keep up. Oh, and this story has not been beta-read…

Ravioli = things from Sasuke's point of view.  
_Ravioli = things from Madara's point of view._

**Destiny  
_(Trust me… it's not that epic)_**

_My actions can easily be justified. My reason for defying the laws of death? Simple… he wasn't ready. He was mistaken. He thought he could give up and die in peace. Oh… now that I think about it; it wasn't __**him**__ that wasn't ready… but me. I wasn't ready for him to move on. I wasn't ready to conquer the world without him in it. I wasn't ready and I was selfish, it runs in the family. I am an old, selfish man that wasn't going to change his ways anytime soon. So, yeah, I guess that justified my reason for stealing a body from a grave… After all, I'm Uchiha Madara; I can do whatever I want.  
_

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX  
**

He's accepted me, I think with a subtle grin. Granted, he's still wary of me, but he's accepted that I am his father. He didn't ask me all about why he had two fathers instead of one or why he looks five when he's only eight months old. No, it was I who asked these questions. The blue tinted man answered, reluctantly and almost angrily. I didn't mind because it got us to where we are now. In my family compound, safe and together, as a family should be, with extras of course. Karin absolutely adores Yuuta, and I don't find that surprising. Kisame never leaves Yuuta's side, constantly on the lookout and ready to protect my son.

Despite their many things in common, Suigetsu and the shark man cannot seem to be in the same room with each other without destroying the house. I think it had something to do with Suigetsu trying to steal Kisame's sword and the other way around. Which resulted with Suigetsu living in one of the other houses on the street. I was not about to send my son to live anywhere else but with me.

Naruto was furious at first, upon discovering that I have met my son. Without even having to ask, I knew he wanted to have something of Itachi that I didn't. I don't look too much into that. I was scared of what I might find out.

Sakura drops by now and then; sometimes to play with Yuuta and other times to talk to Karin. Those two are a duo now, have I not mentioned? They are a force to be reckoned with. Every body who has been in and out of the hospital surely have heard their names. Of course, that's not to say that their annoying bickering have ceased.

And Yuuta, what can I say about that son of mine? He's everything that I imagined my first born would be. Well, not counting the fact that he's aging faster than normal of course. His mental capacity is… beyond words. He looks at things, analyse them and he understands things so much easier. His behaviour is what one would expect from a boy his age, physically, but when I squint hard enough… I could just make out that hard, wise gaze. My son is perfect, as expected from any child of mine and Itachi.

Even to this very day, three months after Yuuta and Kisame moved in with me, I have yet to open my mouth about Itachi. He seems to understand that. I can tell, very clearly that he is very curious about what happened with Itachi and me. I want to tell him, but I'm almost afraid he would hate me once he finds out I'm the reason Itachi was in so much pain. But I wasn't completely foolish. As soon as my son asks, I would tell. I've learned my lesson that the truth really does solve problems.

I complete fewer missions, but that hardly matters. I spend more time with my son, who seems to have started learning the ways of the ninja. He's learning fast and hard.

We're sitting on the veranda, our legs hanging off the edge with a tray of tea between us. I'll have to not thank Karin for the tea. Yuuta's just finished his afternoon training, his little form covered in sweat. After gaining his breath back again, he carefully deactivates his Sharingan. I watch him and a sense of pride flows into me. I guess… this is what father must've felt when aniki first got his Sharingan. But when the sense of pride passes, I was a little surprised to find that jealousy wasn't far behind. But of course, I was still seventeen… or am I eighteen now? Well anyhow, my son got his Sharingan at an earlier age, a feat that I wished I could have done. Nevertheless I feel proud of my son.

"It's your first birthday next month, right?" I suddenly ask, handing my _eight year old_ son his cup of tea. He's growing so fast that I'm afraid if I blink for too long, I'll miss his entire childhood altogether.

"Oh," he mumbles quietly. "That's right." I watch carefully as his dark eyes lowered to his lap. His eyebrows quiver and I wonder if he is unhappy. He must've felt my questioning gaze, because he looked up and answer. "He… He won't be here. It's not the same. I won't get to hear his voice. I don't want to forget him."

"You won't," I say, too quickly and too panicky, because who can blame me? If my son forgets Itachi, then what hope do I have? Though I'm fairly sure that I would never forget that divine beauty of a brother of mine. "He… he's not going to be here, but it's your first birthday, you have to make it special. Is there anything you want?"

He hesitates and I wonder if he is a shy boy after all. But I'm sure that's not the case. Judging by our very first encounter at the hospital, Yuuta's anything but shy. He suddenly turns to look up at me, his dark eyes hard and determined. "I want to know," he demands. "I want to know… why you speak to yourself, sometimes. When you think you're alone, I catch you talking to no one. But… but sometime you say father's name. I want to know…"

Really? Had I slipped up that many times? Was I that foolish? Was I so deep in my own world that I fail to realise when I'm talking to thin air?

"I just miss him is all…"

He can tell that I'm not telling the whole truth, but he also knows not to push it. Smart kid.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX  
**

"_Ne, my Itachi, he should be getting my note very soon, right?" The unmoving man doesn't answer my question, not that I expect him to, but it's fine. I'm not stupid enough to expect much more from a man in a coma, on the verge of death. I look down once more at his face; a face too young and delicate to be a man his age. "You're a strange one," I whisper over the roaring of the waterfall outside my cave. "But then anyone could tell you that." I chuckle darkly at the still form. "Not even death will accept you… what anyone would give to be like that." _

_I walk around the table holding the pale shinobi and almost slip on the wet floor, despite my handsome grace. I curse aloud and rethink my decision on making a cave behind a waterfall my domain. Taking my mask distracting off, I stare at the object in my hand, also rethinking my decision on making such an eyesore my disguise. But then again, I thought, by being Tobi, I saved a lot of people from my almost uncontrollable wrath. The cave was damp and a dripping sounded constantly, a rhythm forever set to lull the unmoving man. _

_There were two sections. In one I kept the empty body of Itachi, in the other I use for my own purposes. My Akatsuki duties were put on hold for the moment. Right now, my task was to restore my weasel to his former god-like self. I've already been through my reasoning, so there's no need to go there again. I flop on a stolen chair and stare silently at the dead-looking man. My eyes trail down to where his liver is located. I frown in slight distaste at remembering that I had to replace his un-beating heart and a kidney, along with his liver. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but I wouldn't have anyone else touch him. _

_But my Itachi lives now. _

_Although, nothing is ever perfect. He lives, but he is soulless. "He'll get the note soon," I pet his long hair.  
_

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX  
**

Yuuta's birthday was still weeks away, and yet Karin and Sakura insisted, violently might I add, on decorating the house. Those two plus Shizune were the only females in Yuuta's short life. His existence is a secret that I intend to take to my grave, if it means he is safe. He has very little people to communicate with and no one in his age group. Though, it won't be long before his age group is my age. I twitch a little at this thought.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" Sakura's timid voice breaks through my thoughts. She and many others are still slightly intimidated by me, though I cannot lame them. They weren't sure if I am still in my zombie state or not. Now that I think about it… had I really been that lifeless? It's been six months since my beloved's death, and yet it still feels like the same day, as if not an hour has passed since I last saw him.

I grunt quietly.

"Umm, would you come inside? The mozzies are coming out soon and… we want to close the doors before they get in."

I grunt again and get up, walking inside without glancing at the medic. I really don't mean to be so heartless, but I find it so difficult to acknowledge anyone's existence that's not Naruto or Yuuta. I find the two people of my thoughts sitting across each other at the table, glaring at each other. I spy the last piece of cake in between them. I almost sigh at their childishness. "Tell him it's mine!" Yuuta's childish voice command of me. "It's my birthday."

"What? You've already had half of the cake! Be nice to your godfather!"

I raise my eyebrows at the godfather part. Is the dobe really Yuuta's godfather? What on earth had Itachi been thinking? His name sends a slight sting to my chest, but it was easily ignored. But then, nobody's ever mentioned such a thing, so I think the dobe took the liberty of making himself Yuuta's godfather. I don't think I'd have it any other way. Though I thought the dobe would want to be his uncle more than godfather, but what do I know?

I perk up as something occurred to me. "You've had half the cake?" I growl, the two bickering children freezing and shuddering at my tone.

I see my little boy gulp, looking slightly too guilty. He looks at me with panicked eyes, eyes too much like my lover… ex-lover. "I…" he started. "I shared with Ki... err, I shared with the ANBU!" He caught himself before he completed the name, but I'm sure everyone caught it. No matter, they wouldn't push it.

I hiss softly. "That's enough Yuuta," I say, surprised to find my tone so… strict. "You're lucky I'm even letting you have two cakes. No more sugar. Go take a bath." He pouts, standing up and walking down the hall… but not before turning and sticking his tongue out at me like our first meeting.

"Yuuta-chan, wait, I'm coming with you," Karin cried, quickly getting up and following Yuuta.

She stops, however, when my son turns around, a soft, but affective glare in place. "I'm a big boy now. I don't need help." The red-headed woman pouts and flops back down, glaring at the snickering Sakura. She doesn't see the look in Yuuta's dark eyes. Of course, I bitterly remind myself. He's like a man stuck in a boy's body; he wouldn't want help with a bath.

I sense Kisame's huge chakra signature outside our house. I ignore him for now. It seems to me now that he really will not be going anywhere soon. Just like me, he seems to be stuck in an unchanging zone; a zone that I could easily call denial. In mine and Kisame's twisted state of mind, Itachi will come back. Of course we both know that this will not be true, but denial is a man's best medicine in times like this. Itachi is coming back… and that's what we will continue to think, no matter how crazy and lost we appear to others. Through this common factor, I was able to tolerate the rogue nin's a little.

"Ne, Teme, what are you getting for Yuuta?"

I give the blond idiot a funny look, which he easily understands. "He said he doesn't want anything."

His blue eyes shift, as if waiting for me to go on. "Yeah… but are you getting him?"

"Dobe!" I hiss through my clenched teeth.

"Ano, Sasuke-kun, even if he doesn't want anything, he'll still be happy to get something from you, I'm sure." Sakura avoids my harsh gaze, her eyes on the wooden table and her hands fidgeting uncomfortably. Am I really that intimidating? I remembered what father looked like, tall and slightly more than intimidating. I suck a slow breath through my still clenched teeth, not blaming Sakura at all for being scared of me.

"I'll get him something," I mutter.

We sit in silence, with the occasional loud slurping of Naruto sipping his tea. Of course, the slurping would then be followed by a loud slap and a groan on Naruto's behalf. That idiot, you'd think he'd learnt his lesson after being with Sakura for all these years.

I stare out the window; pass a small pot of some herb I don't recall the name to that was a gift from Shizune for my eighteenth birthday. I don't even remember doing anything but training on that day; too deep in my mourning. Barely any light is outside, with the sun more than halfway set. The tall trees of the Fire Country grew shadows that seemed too unnatural even to a village like Konoha. An eerie atmosphere moved over the Uchiha clan's district. For a moment I worry for Yuuta's safety, but soon realised that Kisame would be there. And then, reality dawned on me. The eerie air was all in my head. The others didn't feel it, because they were there, in the real world.

He beckons to me with his white little hand, his face holding a cold, smug expression. I get up, stopping Karin in the middle of one of her superior rants. "I need fresh air," I lie quietly. They don't object; they never do nowadays.

I step out, remembering to close the door so the mosquitoes don't go in and bite my new found son. Itachi's ghost-like features are getting fainter and fainter; does this mean that I am slowly moving on? Well I don't want to move on if it means I can't see him anymore. The lush, soft grass feels familiar under my bare feet, my pace long and graceful. Soft goose-bumps ran across the left side of my head, down my left shoulder and across my chest, a sign that my Itachi is nearby. However, when I got to the place that I saw him, he was not there.

In his place was a crumbled piece of paper, held together by a silver ring.

I freeze in my steps, the muscles on my shoulders tensing and bulging and my heart suddenly beats too loud for my taste. I wonder if Naruto and the others hear it as well. But never mind, I squint hard in the fading light. _"Scarlet"_ the kanji whispers to me. _"His ring,"_ a panicked voice in the back of my head screams. _"His ring, his ring! It's his ring! Take it, touch it!"_ I jump forward, startled by the desperation in my own voice. And yet I cannot agree more with myself. I carefully step towards the, for the moment, centre of my world. If I could touch it, if I could just feel the sensation of that ring, it will prove to me that everything is real. That… my time with Yuuta isn't just another dream created from my insane mind.

With my heart racing away, I gingerly pick the ring up, taking the crumbled piece of paper with me. A bolt of coldness from the ring shooting up my arm has me jumping slightly, but the feel of the crumbled paper shot another, more foreboding feeling up my arm. I inspect the ring, smiling a little at how tiny it is compared to my calloused hand. 'Scarlet', I think, how suiting…

I put the ring into a pocket in my pant, immediately feeling the tiny bump it sent to my thigh. I stare at the crumbled piece of paper, before opening it with slightly shaking hands. It was from Uchiha Madara, I know that much. I wonder what other soul changing truth he has to tell me now. I open the paper and read the words, the simple, undemanding words that could mean anything to me.

_The Village Hidden in the Caves.  
I have the vessel.  
Go get the soul._

As I said, it could mean anything. And for a second, for less than a passing moment, I thought he meant that he had Naruto, but of course that's bullshit. Naruto was here, with me, in Konoha, not in the clutches of the old Uchiha. Another second pass by and I almost drop to my knees. Crumbling the piece of paper and putting it in the same pocket that holds the ring of my beloved, I turn and race back. I blue pass the house, ignoring the yell of Naruto and the girls. Behind me I hear them following me, their steps fast, but never as fast as me. Their cries for me to stop alerted me of what they were thinking. They thought that I was running away from Konoha, all over again.

I slow down just a little, for them to almost catch up. Sakura and Karin jumps to my left side and the dobe to my right, their eyes hard and wary.

"I'm not going anywhere, idiot," I hiss.

They might have seen something out of place. I think they might have seen my eyes, most likely more alive than every before.

"Where are you going?" Someone ask, but I'm not sure who.

I hesitate, but then decide that they should probably know. I'm already insane in their eyes anyway. "I'm going to his grave." They don't ask anymore. There's not doubt in their minds that they knew where I meant to go. They all go quiet and I twitch. But never mind them; I have something that I need to be sure of. I don't have to be a genius to know that Madara was talking about Itachi. And yet, somewhere so much deeper in me, I hope that this whole thing isn't just another dream of mine.

When we get to the graveyard, I don't hesitate to dig up my brother's casket. I don't hesitate because once I calm down and think about it, logic would catch up and I would stop. So I ignore all reasoning and dig him up. If that vile Uchiha truly meant what he said in the note, then the casket should be empty. I dig like a madman on a rampage. Karin and Sakura cried in horror behind me while the Dobe tried to get pass the snake that I summoned to keep them at bay. What I'm doing now probably look bad to them, but they'll understand soon enough.

I feel sweat roll down my face and cling to my clothes, my muscles working on their own, not stopping even if I wanted them to. Later on I would laugh at how pathetic I am that I would cling so desperately onto the words of a criminal. But nothing matters at this moment. I've already decided that I'm insane, why stop there? I stop and freeze when I hit the wooden casket, my heart lurching at the echoing thump. Silence befalls the others behind me and I am grateful. There are all in shock. They're all horrified that I would actually do something like this. They thought I wouldn't follow through.

I refuse to move even when the Dobe continues to struggle against my summon. I shake and my hands fumble around. My left hand feels something and I bring out the objects. The ring is cold against the skin of my palm and I open the note desperately. I have to be sure that I'm not doing this crime for no reason. I don't want to disrespect my brother's grave because my mind decided to play games. The ring was there, the note was there, I just have to make sure the message was there.

_The Village Hidden in the Caves.  
I have the vessel.  
Go get the soul._

I sigh in relief. Never in a billion years will I forget these wonderful, hopeful words. I know I should probably be focusing on the first line of the note first, but I had to be sure. If the second line of the message proofs to be true, then I will go to the Village Hidden in the Caves. I breathe in deeply and bring the ring to my face, close to my nose. Would Itachi's scent be on it still? Things are silent behind me again and I feel their eyes on my hunched form. They think I've finally gone crazy, totally lost it, but I'm fine with that. I was desperate, doesn't anyone understand that? My fingers twitching uncontrollably, I bring the silver ring to my nose and take a sniff. No, I don't smell him at all. It smells like all other rings. The only thing that makes it special now is that it belonged… belongs to Itachi.

I look up, determined, and put the two most important objects in my pocket. I pull out a kunai and jam it harshly into the casket. As expected with how much strength I put into it, the wooden lid creaks, silencing the protests that have started up again. I do it again, with more force, and the lid gives a loud cracking sound, sliding slightly off. I grin slightly in triumph, but wasn't prepared for the pain that came from my right shoulder. The pain throbbed for a few seconds, before disappearing, sure to come back later.

"You son of a bitch!" Naruto screeched at me. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

I had heard him furious beyond words a few times before, but this time ranked top five. I'm surprised that the Kyuubi's chakra hasn't seeped into him yet. He lunges at me again and I use his momentum to throw him over me. I didn't think. I was stupid. I watch in shock as the Dobe crashed loudly into the casket… the _empty_ casket. I stand up slowly while the Dobe freezes every muscle in his body tense, his blue eyes wide and horrified. He was sprawl out, half sitting in the casket and half on the ground.

"It's… empty," Sakura whispered behind me. "But…"

I knew what she was going to say. We were all there that day. We all saw the casket being lowered into the ground. But… nobody actually saw the body. Nobody made sure. The jounins had gone out to the battle field and brought his body back, broken and battered. The medics had cleaned him up and somebody put him in the casket. But who was that somebody? We'd all been shocked, brozen right to the bones, that was why nobody wanted to face the truth that Itachi was dead. _Nobody_ checked to see if the body was really in the wooden casket, but _somebody_ had to have been with the body.

"Sasuke-kun?" Karin whispered hesitatingly to me. "What's… going on?"

"He was… telling the truth," I answer, my voice shaky from utter joy. A large grin bloomed across my face and I hold out a hand for the Dobe. He takes it and pulled himself up; looking back at the casket to be sure he was not dreaming. The casket is empty, we're not dreaming and I've never been happier to dig up a grave.

And then comes the next step.

I need to go to the Village Hidden in the Caves.

But I can't just leave the village. And I am not about to go tell that old fart called Danzo, no way ever. I'd die before I give him a hint that Itachi's alive. And if I leave by myself, who knows what kind of chaos that would cause. That… in its own, leaves only one option.

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX  
**

It was night by the time we were able to locate the Copy-nin. As it turned out, he was standing at the stone memorial… only a few training grounds from where Itachi's empty casket was. None of use commented on our futile search. We didn't feel like being an idiot. I'd sent a clone to inform Kisame of the whole ordeal and to tell him not to leave Yuuta's side. If things are really this great, then hopefully Madara doesn't know of Yuuta's existence. I can't be too sure though. That man was able to steal my brother, what else could he know?

I'm a little pissed though, despite my joy about Itachi. Madara was the one who really started this war, he was the one pulling the strings and now, all of a sudden, he's dropped everything. People have died because of him!

Oh, never mind…

"Kakashi," I drawl. He doesn't move and I start to think that he's just a fake dummy, a scarecrow that looked too real. But then he turns his head, a small and slight movement.

"Oh, you guys. What do you want?" If possible, his voice sounds even more aloof than normal.

"I want permission," I politely demand, "to leave this village."

"Do I look like the Hokage to you?"

I furrow my eyebrows and step forward. "No, but even you can't deny that most of our loyal shinobi look to you as their Hokage. We don't trust Danzo. Konoha needs you."

He lowers his eyes to the ground and turns back to stare at the Memorial Stone. He sighed, long and loud, and we knew we had him convinced. I was right. Nobody except Danzo can deny that people trust the infamous Hatake Kakashi more than they trust the Hokage by default. "Hmm, now I understand why Tsunade-sama complained so much. Naruto, please hurry up and take this job." He sighs again and finally fully turns towards us, taking in our dishevel state. "Algiht children, why would you like my permission to leave the village, hmm?"

At this expected yet sudden question, we all blink and tense. I know we're all wondering the same thing. How are we going to explain this without sounding utterly insane to the Copy-nin? It wasn't difficult for me to tell the three other shinobi with me, because they were there when I dug up the casket. And I would take Kakashi back to see the casket, if Naruto and I hadn't already rebury it. Plus, we don't have time. I want to go after my brother's soul now!

"I… we need to go to the Village Hidden in the Caves. That one that we went to to get the plant for that poison some time ago."

He still looks bored, though I know he feels otherwise. "Okay, now I know where you want to go. But why… do you want to go to one of the few places that are a thin line between reality and the spirit world? I've already warned you, Sasuke. The last time you went there you saw a ghost of Yondaime-sama."

"Tsk, I know. That's why I'm going there!" I let out a furious hiss. This ordeal was taking too much damn time! "Look, Uchiha Madara sent me a note and I was insane enough to read and consider it." I hand him the note. Behind me Sakura and Karin grows wary of my spiking chakra. There is too much tension in me; it is bound to come out sooner or later. Kakashi reads the note in silence. Many well concealed emotions flashed before his only visible eye and he opens his mouth to ask the question that was too predictable. But I beat him to it. I answer before he asks. "I've… we've already been to his… grave. The casket was empty."

His eye widens and I silently listen as he asks the obvious. "And you were crazy enough to dig it up? I wouldn't blame you for considering Madara's words, but to dig up his grave." We don't answer him and it seems to finally sink into him that we're really selfish, desperate young people. With a small twitch to his eyelid, he said, "Fine, go ahead. But what are you going to do when you have his soul? How are you even going to take it out of those caves? And, most importantly, what about his body?"

Those are, without a doubt, the most difficult question I've ever had to answer.

But damn it, why doesn't anybody understand that I need to go **now!**

"I've already got things figured out. I just need to go now."

He gives us a long stare, because he knows I won't be the only one going. "Alright, be careful."

I didn't exactly hear the last word, because I was already up in the trees and hoping away. I, however, heard the three uninvited people scrambling to follow me. Not long after, the gate came into view and we passed it without stopping. I lick at my lips, which were suddenly too dry. Somewhere out there was Itachi's soul and body. A part of me screamed for me to stop and think, to realise that maybe Itachi wanted to die. But I wouldn't hear it, because I was selfish and I wanted my brother here with me, whether he wanted it or not.

As expected, we talk while we travel up in the trees. I travel at the very front and had, a few minutes into travelling, sent a summon to stay with Kisame and Yuuta. Suigetsu was still in the Uchiha district and Juugo would've come back from the academy already. Naruto travelled slightly behind and to my right, with Sakura to my left and Karin behind. We were in a formation.

I told them of the jutsu Orochimaru forced onto me for one particular mission. It requires a small scroll imprinted with blood, made just to hold one soul. It takes a lot of chakra, and even more concentration and accuracy. All the symbols and seals must be drawn accurately, not even a drop out of place, not a smudge and not a smear. There's no doubt in my mind that I would be the one to draw the seals and kanji, but I suspect that Naruto would be the one to donate chakra and Sakura to be the one to channel the Dobe's chakra. The only thing we need to do now is locate the soul of my aniki.

They absorbed the information I gave them quietly. I know Naruto doesn't understand everything, but as long as he knows his role, then everything's fine.

"But, where are we going to get his body back from? How do we know where Madara is?"

"We'll worry about that later," I reply shortly. I really don't want to think too much further ahead, because once I let reality come in, I'll hesitate. I'm not just doing this for myself. I need to do this for Yuuta as well. He desperately needs his other father again, even when he doesn't show it too well. And Kisame too, that strange man that's so loyal to Yuuta because of Itachi.

It took as long as last time I went there to get to the giant web of caves. It hasn't changed, despite the ongoing war. Well, it wasn't exactly ongoing, because the Tsuchikage and Raikage are finally seeing that Uchiha Madara is the one manipulating them. They're slowly and reluctantly retreating their armies, however, a great deal of tension is still hanging around the nations. I don't care about that now. From here on, it's all about politics.

"Holy crap," Naruto gasps beside me seven hours later, near just after midnight. He's got his head tilted upwards, his eyes large with wonder. Of course, anyone would be at the sight ahead of us. Just like last time, the huge pyramid of caves tower over us. It's actually a gigantic cave, with many, many maze-like caves inside that are constantly changing. There's no way of getting out once you're in, that's why I brought with me extra scrolls for Naruto to work his seal. I throw four scrolls at him and he catches them without a problem. "What are these for?"

"Once you go in, you won't be able to come out. Those caves are moving. The moment you step in you're lost. Put a returning seal on those scrolls so we can transport out when we find something." He starts working, excited that his rare knowledge of sealing can be of use. I go on with the explanation. "I'll start on the soul containment seal." Sakura and Karin check for their weapons and start talking while I start on the seal that would hold my brother's precious soul.

I never actually learnt or studied this seal, but instead I used my Sharingan and cheated. Some parts of the seal were kanji while most are shapes that I don't recognise. It doesn't really concern me, as long as it does its job. I finish not a few minutes more than an hour later and sigh in relief. I'll never admit that I got dizzy from so many swirls in a seal.

"Sasuke-kun, are we really going in there right now?" Sakura asked timidly.

I look at the cave again and sigh. It was a few past midnight and would be completely useless if we go in now without any sunlight. "No," I answer. "We'll wait til morning. I won't really matter if we go in during the day or night. Sunlight doesn't pass through there, but you guys will need rest." And then I add, as if as an afterthought, "There's poison and herbs for those poisons in there. So if you get poisoned, the cure's not too far away. And… don't let your mind wander too much. You'll see tings… and hear things, so don't pay too much mind to it."

I left them to their imagination. If they get scared and decide not to come in with me, then I don't care. I'm going to get my Itachi back. It's a simple plan that's got no interference.

We wake up hours later, well rested and slightly anxious. We have breakfast. Karin and Naruto got themselves a bowl of instant ramen each, while Sakura and I had fish. It was a fulfilling breakfast. Not an hour after we woke up we were ready to go. We just need to finish up the preparation. I hand Naruto the scroll that will hold Itachi's soul. I then gesture for Sakura to sit in front of Naruto, across form him. "Channel your chakra through Sakura," I tell the blond. I then turn to the pinkette. "Don't use your own chakra, Sakura. Use Naruto's and channel it to follow the path of my blood. Keep it a constant flow and it will do the rest by itself. Do it until I say stop." She nods determinably, her bright green eyes sharp and concentrated. "Step back," I tell Karin and step back with her.

I watch the duo work as one. After half an hour of doing so, Naruto isn't even out of breath. He's got an almost endless supply of chakra… and it's grown a lot since he started using Hiraishin. And Sakura is doing very fine too. She was using Naruto's chakra, not her own, so she is not tired. "Stop," I say suddenly. Naruto stops his flow of chakra and the sealing glows a bloody red colour. The scroll emits a sense of morbid, but that's to be expected, since we're dealing with life and death and anything in between. "That will be the vessel for his soul until we get his body back from Uchiha Madara." I turn and glare at the cave. "Come on."

"Sasuke, what are we looking for, exactly?"

I turn and was about to answer when I truly realise the question. Softly, I reply, "You'll know when you see it. We're trying to get Itachi back."

"And… what if all this is just a trap from the Akatsuki?"

I doubt it is. Madara truly seemed furious when he came and told me the truth of the clan's massacre. He seemed to really, truly hate me for taking Itachi away. Even though I didn't deliver the blow that ended his live, I had been the one to drive him towards death, and he was blaming me for it. But even then, I can't ignore the possibility that it could be a trap. Naruto is my friend; this is as much a threat to him as me. "I doubt it is. If it's all a trap," I slowly answer, "don't engage him in a fight. Use the scroll to get out here and run. I'll try and hold him back."

By 'try and hold him back' I mean that I'll try and kill him and hopefully die in the process. I don't know if I'll be able to withstand the feeling of hope crushed like that. If it's all a trap and I find out I won't get my brother back, then I'd most likely do something extremely explosive and suicidal.

Naruto gives me a funny look. "Alright."

"Good luck," somebody whispered behind me, but I cannot be sure who.

Entering the web of cave is a horrendous feeling. It was dark and warm water reached up to my knees, like last time. The feeling that you get when you enter a dark, unknown place claws at my chest. There are slivers of orange light here and there, but the rest is total darkness. My arms are out in front of me, serving as my eyes. I feel a slight tremble of the ground and know that the caves have start moving. I hope the others are alright, I don't want their deaths to be on my shoulders, but now's not the time to worry about them. I have to have a clear, focused mind.

The water beneath and around the bottom half of my legs make, soft, yet echo-like droplet sounds as I move around. I don't hear anything from anywhere else, so I guess the others are nowhere near me. And then, so very suddenly, in this strange, dark place, I feel so very lost. I am all alone. My aniki is not here with me, I'm all alone all over again. My clan is gone. Everyone has left me, my brother killed them all and I realise that there really is nothing left for me. Maybe that's why I'm so desperate to bring Itachi back.

My left hand makes contact with a stone wall.

And in that one moment that I made contact, I wonder.

Was this all a dream? Had everything from our fight been a strange dream?

Would I go out of these caves, and realise that I still hate Itachi… and would kill him?

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX  
**

"_He's so lost, that boy of yours," I taunt. He lays motionless still, but I hadn't been expecting anything else. "He's gone after your soul. You'll come back to us soon."_

_I dare weave my impure hand through his soft, long hair. His innards have been saved by me, he will live. As long as this beautiful body of his is alive, it will be the anchor that prevents his soul from being free. He's not done here yet. Itachi will always be bound to earth as long as he loves that brother of his. I trave a long finger over the oxygen mask, wondering if I should pull It off and end him. "What an interesting situation you've gotten yourself into."_

_I ignore the violent urge to reach down and break the porcelain figure beneath me. I turn around and walk out of this place, out of the cave behind the waterfall and away from the area. The cave is guarded; I have no need to worry. Being around that successor of mine makes me unable to think. _

_I sigh and slip on the orange mask. What am I doing? Why am I going through all these troubles just to save him… when he doesn't even want to be saved? I've gone soft; soft and weak in the presence of the epitome of beauty. I need to vent. And that little village a little more than a mile from here seemed unimportant enough for me to destroy. _

_As I travel, I wonder if all this is one long, realistic dream. Was this really what destiny had planned? Was Itachi meant to last for this long? This is not the way things are supposed to go, I know that much. _

_But then… what do I care, right?_

_

* * *

_

Here's an update, enjoy.

And, please review. A little word of your thoughts would be nice.

Oh, Oh, Oh!! I'm going to post another one-shot soon. It's called "When things go Superbly" and it's a Kakashi/Itachi.

Check it out..................... and....... **REVIEW!!!!!!**


	24. Chapter 23

Title: Forget Your Brother Not

Pairing: Sasuke/Itachi

Disclaimer: I owe nothing… 'cept the plot of this story.

AU: Enjoy it if you guys are still reading this story. And review…

_Ravioli = things from Madara's point of view._

This chapter changes point of views a lot.

**United **

_Naruto's Point of View:_

Sasuke had a serious face on when he told us the warnings, but then he'd always had a serious face, that was probably why I didn't take him as seriously as I should have. The water was warm around my legs and I shudder every now and then when I think I felt something move. I wasn't exactly worried about the poisons; I had immunity. It was pitch black all around me, with the occasional orange flickers of lights. I have no idea where these flickers of orange light came from, and I don't really want to know. There was a hum suddenly, breaking the silence and I jump, yelping as I clutch at my heart.

Did I ever tell or do something that might tip anyone off that … I'm deathly afraid of ghosts?!

The hum continues for a long time as I walk endlessly around the caves. When I think I'm at a dead end, the walls of the caves would move, and I could continue on. And then when I think that there's nothing in front of me, I would step forward and walk right into a pillar or something. The cave was huge, but even though it was massive, there wasn't even an echo all around. The hum started out a straight, toneless hum, then it changed in tune and all of a sudden I'm listening to a lullaby. I feel a pressure inside my skull, as if something wanted in. It's not a ghost, I thought to myself. But, hadn't Kakashi-sensei said that this is the place hovering between life and death?

What am I doing?!

I have to do this for Itachi! Yuuta needs Itachi back! I can't just let some petty fear come between me and my goals. I lick my lips and straighten up.

The humming of the genderless voice ceased, as If sensing that I won't be falling for its tunes anytime soon. It started again and I yell, "SHUT UP!" Surprisingly it did. "Do you really want to go in my head? You wana mess with the Kyuubi?!"

The humming died down and came to a complete stop. I grin; finally that fur ball was useful for something other than giving me headaches. The giant pyramid of caves became silence again and I don't know whether to be grateful or not. I move and the water ripples. Sasuke said that I would know what I'm looking for once I see it. Something slithered around my right ankle and I yelp, jumping and sticking on the wall. The problem was that the wall wasn't there anymore. God damn it!

I fall into the pitch black water below me. But instead of hitting the hard floor under the water, I continue to fall. I fall and fall and fall. The water rises and engulfs me. Bubbles escape my mouth as I flail around, trying to get back up to the surface that seemed miles away. The water was suddenly very, very cold, like death's grip. I try to scream, to even use the Rasengan, but my body is useless. This orange clad body suddenly became my anchor, and I'm sinking because of it. It's dragging me down, it's bringing me to death, it's betraying me! I need to escape. I need to get out of this body! _**I need out!**_

"You filthy pest!" A hiss sounded all around me.

I jolt awake, sitting up and gulping in lungful of air. My arms are shivering and tired from flailing around and my whole body is wet. I'm sitting in water, but it was very shallow and not as cold. I'm in the sewer, I thought to my self, breathing in relief. I'm in my mind. I smile. I've escaped from my body. Does this mean that I'm dying? I frown suddenly. In the face of death, I had been so desperate as to want to leave behind my own vessel, my body. "Kyuubi," I breathe. "What the hell?"

"What the hell indeed! You dare bring us to this place? Ugh, what if that Shinigami suddenly decides that he wants my soul?! You insufferable worm, I should tear you limb from limb!" I don't answer it for a long time and it calms down, its heavy and anxious breathing echoing. "And… what is that little creature there?"

I look to where the pair of humongous eyes was glancing at and start when I see a small nest. It was in a corner, touching the golden gate and floating on the water. In the nest is a… is a… CROW! I jump back in surprise. Swallowing that thing was not a pleasant experience. "What's that thing?!" I yell at the Kyuubi. "Wha… that's Itachi's," I answer my own question. I step closer for a better look, careful 'cause I don't know if it will attack me or not. It stares right at me, unblinking and silent. And to think that I had a part of Itachi in me the whole time…

It spreads its wings and suddenly flies straight at me. I yelp and yell, flailing my arms to stop it from coming any closer. It attacks my head and I fall backwards, into the water. Instead of stopping like I expected, I fall down deeper and deeper. The crow follows me, practically oozing off dark, tainted power. I hold my breath and the water gets colder again. I know what's going to happen, so I don't struggle as much. I resurface and was not surprised to see that I'm back in the caves again. It's dark and chilling. For a single moment I almost miss the Kyuubi; because here it's just me and the crow.

"Sakura-chan!" I yell. "Sasuke?!" Not surprisingly my voice doesn't echo nor do I get an answer to my calls. "Karin?!"

My finger brushes the scroll in the pouch on my hip. I… I should use it now, to get out of here. I'll wait for the others outside. But… that's not how tings go. I can't do that. I won't leave this place until Itachi's soul is found. I turn to the crow hovering somewhere near my head. "What about you?" I ask. "You were part of him once. Can you tell where he is right now?"

It caws loudly, leaving my ears to ring and throb painfully. It's too dark, I can't tell where it is, but I hear a fluttering of feathers and follow the sound. It leads me round and around and around the moving caves and I follow blindly. I was desperate and had no way else to find the soul of Itachi. If this crow really is of help, then I can't refuse. Deep down, I know that when Itachi gave me this power before his battle with Sasuke, he hadn't meant for it to be used like this.

I follow the crow for a long time, before the fluttering of the crow stopped moving. We stay in one spot for a long time, before the fluttering of the crow's wings came closer to me. Why is it coming towards me? I back away. The crow cawed loudly, so loud that my ears hurt and I yelp. Before I know it, the crow had flown into my mouth. My arms flail uselessly around me as the crow got deeper into my mouth. Halfway down my throat the crow turns soft… not solid at all. It slides, not just down my throat, but into me as a whole. A few seconds pass and it feels like nothing was in me at all. I'll have to file my complaint to Itachi about this later.

I hear a sniff somewhere behind me and turn abrupt ably. My jaws practically hit the wet floor under the shallow water. If… if it had been under different circumstances, I might have fainted in fright. Itachi stands before me, his feet under water, but he doesn't seem to notice. Against the total darkness all around, his skin gave off a sickly glow, too unhealthy. I gasp at the deadly, beautiful man. "Itachi," I wheeze.

He looks at me, a funny, curious look in his dark eyes. I glance curiously at the china plate in his hand and the small towel in the other. Is he… drying a plate? Oh. Never mind that! I gasp one last time and quickly step closer to the slightly glowing form. I'm not glowing, can he see me? "Itachi, Itachi," I chant desperately. I… I don't know what to say. I have so many things that I need to say, that he needs to hear that they all just blocked up in my throat. "Itachi," was the only thing I could utter out. I stay so very tense, scared that if I move too much he'd go away and I'd be lost in this hell hole again. "Itachi."

Ok, get over it Naruto. He's real.

"Come back," I wheeze pathetically. My heart beats unevenly, unsure whether to feel something or not. "Come back… with me, with us. You… you're… do you…?" Oh my god, now of all times my mouth chooses not to say anything.

"What are you doing here Naruto-kun?" His tone is so light, so playful that I'm starting to think he doesn't realise where he is.

"I…we came to get you back. You're not dead, Itachi. You're not dead. This… this here is just a cave, come back with us, please." I step closer. He seems to realise who I am despite the fact that it was pitch black in here. "You… you're not yourself," I curse mentally as I realise that that sounded wrong. Of course he's himself, just not completely whole. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Of course," he answers lightly. He gives me a tiny, kind smile and I'm tempted to just stay here forever with him. "I'm dead, Naruto-kun. What else is there to it? I have no reason to hold on. I'm dead, leave me in peace."

"You're not dead," I growl, startled at my own harsh tone. "Damn it, you're not dead!"

He drops the plate, but it doesn't shatter or make a sound. It just disappeared into the water. It wasn't real. "I have no reason to hold on, Naruto-kun. Don't you understand? It hurts too much."

My shoulders sag as I finally start to understand the mystery that is Uchiha Itachi. "That's right," I say carefully. I'm not leaving this place without Itachi, and if manipulation is the only way to bring him home then so be it. "It hurts, it's always hurt. But that never stopped you. It hurts all the time but you still held on… to Sasuke, to Yuuta. You held on… and you're still doing it now. You're not dead!"

"Held on…?" he whispers quietly. Suddenly Itachi seems so weak, so fragile… and so lost. He's always been the older one; the one that everybody thought was evil and insane, and the one that was always so powerful and invincible. But he was always like that. He's been god-like from the very beginning that there was no time for the real Itachi. Was Itachi really even there the whole time that I knew him? "Who?"

I blink. "You… you held on."

"Who…," he seems so confuse. Has he lost all his memories again?! No, no it can't be. He remembers; I can see it. He needs to come back to reality! I open my mouth to say something, but freezes when he runs at me, pushing my by my shoulders as I back against a stone pillar that wasn't there a second ago. "I am not a damsel in distress, Naruto-kun. You have no need to rescue me. I am fine where I am. I was ready to die on that day that Sasuke and I battle. I'm ready to die now…"

"No, you're not," I snap. "You're not dead yet, because you're the only being that decides that. You're not dead yet, because you're holding on… without even knowing it. You claim you're ready to die, but you're not because the stronger side of you is still here! Even more than dying… you want to live."

"What am I holding on to? Otouto… said to forget. He wanted to forget… and to settle down later with a nice, decent woman and rebuild the clan." I ache for him. My heart aches for the pain that Itachi must be going through. His feather light grips on my shoulders tighten and he stares into my eyes. It's dark, but Itachi is glowing, but I'm not. Can he even see me? "It's one thing… to have someone hate you because you will it, but its another completely to have someone hate you so much, because they loved you. Do you understand what I'm saying, Naruto-kun?"

"No…" I bring my hands up to touch him, but my hand passes right through him. He is able to touch me, but I can't touch him. "No, I don't understand. I don't understand anything that's got to do with you! Come back… to me, to Sasuke… to your son."

"Son?" He takes his hands off me and staggers back a few steps. He looks at me funny; a look between shock and disgust. "I… I don't… son?"

"Yes," I say softly. "Yuuta, don't tell me you don't remember."

"I remember," he says gently, as if saying the name of a precious god. "I remember…"

"Then… you'll come back?"

"I don't…" He looks away from me, as if the sight of me is too painful. "You don't understand, Naruto-kun. I'm not sure I want to go back."

"What?" That's ridiculous. Of course he'd want to come back! Itachi's already sacrificed his whole life and his whole clan for Sasuke. What's to stop him from cheating death for said brother? "Of course you want to come back. That's why you're still here… because you don't want to let go yet."

"It's hard…"

This is the last straw. If what I'm about to say doesn't bring him back, then there's really nothing else I can do.

"I thought you loved Yuuta. If you're not coming back, then Danzo will use him… He'll use your son like a mindless weapon, just like you said you would."

"But…" his voice shakes, but it was barely noticeable. Suddenly his voice turns desperate. "… What can I do? I'd disappear… as soon as I step out of this cave; which is impossible a task itself. Maybe… Maybe I was meant to stay here after all?"

I… I'm so happy that I didn't even hear the last part. Itachi was coming!

Um… but… God damn it!

Sasuke's the one that has the scroll! Ugh, that bastard really thought that he was the one who would find Itachi. "Right, um..." I weave my hands through my messy hair, grinding my teeth in frustration. Just when things were going so perfectly, just when Itachi was so close to being home, another damn problem pops up. I finally look back up at Itachi's ghost-like form; his soul. "Sasuke had this seal, in a scroll, that could contain you… yours soul. But… he only had one. I think he thought that he was gonna be the one to find you in here."

I don't know whether the look on his pale face is relief or devastation.

But Itachi is going to come back. He's going to come back no matter what.

"I could," I start. "I could do the seal again. I analysed it when I poured my chakra into it. I can do it again."

"There's no room for even one mistake."

"There won't be one," I say. I've never been surer of anything in my life. I will not make a mistake… because he's come home!

I quickly snatch a scroll from my pouch, roughly the same size as the one I saw Sasuke holding. I am no genius, but sealing is the one thing that I have left of my father and Ero-sennin. I'm not just good at it; I'm great! I unsealed a brush and ink from another scroll and quickly work through the hundreds of seals I saw on the scroll. It was complicated, but so simple to understand once you know what you're looking at. Itachi's soul stands behind me, looking over my shoulder as I squat in the water. He needs to stand close, because he is the only source of light here. It was still too dark, but his glowing form provided more than enough light for my ninja trained eyes.

An hour, maybe more, passed and my legs start to cramp. I ignore it. The lighted soul never moved. I've used almost half of the thick scroll… and knew that this has got to be one of the longest seal I've ever performed. The scroll floats on top of the water and stays dry. For some reason, the water refuses to swallow up the scroll.

"F-Finish," I stammer out at last. I… I did it!

"There is no mistake?"

"No, there's none. I know it."

He moves away and stands a few feet away from me. He's waiting.

"Wait," I start. "We… We don't have your body." I stop talking suddenly as my mind ventures through all possibilities. It's true, we don't have Itachi's body and we have no idea where it is. If I just seal Itachi's soul into this scroll, then he'd be stuck there until we find his body, which is bad, because we don't even know if his body is safe. Hmm, that Madara guy definitely wants something… and I have a feeling we're playing our role in his plan, whatever plan he has. If we have Itachi's soul, then we'd want the body too. And Madara has the body. What would Madara want with Itachi's body? No, he doesn't want the body, I don't think, but rather what the body could bring him.

A trade, I realise. The oldest Uchiha would want a trade. He would give us Itachi's soulless body, in return for some that he wants, something obvious. There isn't even a sliver of doubt that if it really comes down to that, then I would go to Uchiha Madara. I would go, if only for Itachi. But… There has to be another way around confronting Uchiha Madara. Itachi waits patiently for me as my eyes run back and forth again and again over the seal. My blue eyes follow the curves of the many kanji that makes up the entire seal. I stop at one particular kanji and hesitantly look up at the one that I wish to return home.

"Go on," he whispers, easily reading the expressions of my face. I don't even know how he does that, its pitch black in here.

I swallow down my nerves and lick my dry lips. I take a deep, deep breath, bring up the scroll and erase the kanji for 'gan'yuu' and replace it with 'saihatsu'; 'contain' for 'return'. I erase the kanji for 'lost' and replace it with 'locate'. I also replace 'dormant' for 'rebirth'.

"I see," Itachi whispers over my shoulder as he looks on. "You will not be finding my body. I will come to you."

"Yeah. We can't risk fighting with your grandpa, so I'm sending your soul right to your body. We'll meet you half way."

"He's not my grandfather."

"Close enough." I stand up and cringe as my knees creak. I'm not even that old yet! "I'm not so great at chakra control. So when I channel my chakra into the seal, you'll have to desire life enough to guide yourself back to your body."

"I understand."

"But… what if he's with you?" I ask.

"He will not kill me, Naruto-kun. You've nothing to fret about."

I'm not exactly worried about that. I know Itachi can take care of himself. It's what Madara might want from Itachi that has me worried. "Tell me," he says gently, "Is Yuuta well?" I nod to him while I reseal away my ink and brush. "And… Otouto?"

It makes me pause for a while. Is Sasuke okay? I don't think so. For a few months after Itachi died I really thought the Teme went insane. I caught him talking to himself once, staring into space and hands outstretched as if he was touching someone. And that time that he just stepped off the Hokage Mountain too; that was kind of disconcerting. I pack away all my stuff except for the one scroll that will bring Itachi home. "Sasuke? He's… He is going to be okay." It isn't a lie. He will be okay, as soon as Itachi comes home.

He nods. I hold the small scroll by its ends, pressed tight between my palms. There's really no point in stalling, so I channel my chakra into the seal, forcing a little bit of Kyuubi's chakra in there too. I control the flow of my chakra as best as I can, letting the substance seep slow and steady into the scroll. I look to see if Itachi is okay, only to see that he is no longer here. I am by myself once more. There's no source of light anymore, only my hands glow from my chakra flow. I keep pouring it into the scroll. Itachi hasn't completely made his journey yet. I won't stop the flow until he's there, wherever his body is…

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

_Sasuke's Point of View:_

There's tension in between my eyebrows. A desperate frown has taken its place there a few hours ago. I can't find Itachi, and there's a gut wrenching feeling in me that tells me I won't. I want to give up so much, because that would be so easy. But I can't give up. I just can't. Because if I give up, if I go home and see Yuuta's face, I'll come to realise that Itachi really is lost to me, that I'll have to live he rest of my life without my brother. And somehow, just the thought of not having Itachi here, with me, for the rest of my life seems very terrifying. I might as well not live at all. To live a life without Itachi… that's just too much.

I move to take another step into the absolute darkness of the cave when there's a tug in my core and I'm being teleported. The weight of the outside air presses down on my shoulders and I grunt a little. The light of the setting sun burns my eyes and I hiss, covering them with my hands. I'll never ever underestimate the power of the setting sun ever again.

Karin, Sakura and the Dobe stand around me, the former two in the same condition that I am.

"What is this?" I yell at the blonde. "Why did you bring us out!?"

"Shut up!" He yells back. "Yeah, I found him." He steps closer to me and glares. "I found him, but you think you're so special that you thought you were gonna be the one to find him. You didn't even give us the containing scroll. What if Sakura or Karin had been the one to find him?"

"W-Where is he now? You didn't leave him in there, did you?!" Karin shrieks.

Naruto sighs and steps back. "No, I had to improvise. I did the seal. I took a look at it when I poured my chakra into the original one."

"Well where's the scroll now?" I know I sound so very desperate. My voice shakes and wavers. Itachi, Itachi, Itachi; how can one person be the centre of someone else's universe? How can one person be so important? How can my heart beat only for one person like this? "The scroll, Dobe!" I yell again.

"Shut up, Teme I'm trying to explain!"

I growl quietly and force my muscles to stay still. There's no point in jumping the Dobe now…

"I altered the seal a little," he says.

Before I can stop myself, I'm up in his face. "You what?!"

"I said shut up!" He yells, finally cracking and throwing a clumsy punch aimed at my face. I easily reflect and slip in a punch of my own to his stomach. The momentum of my punch throws him backwards, but he's able to get a good kick to my chin. Karin throws herself in front of me and Sakura does the same for the Dobe. It always amuses me that whenever Naruto and I fight, people only break us up after we get a few hits in.

"That's enough! Naruto what did you do?!" Sakura cries.

"I sent him to his body, okay!? Instead of sealing him in a piece of cloth I sent him to his body!"

"Oh…" I stupidly mutter. That… was actually a good idea. "Then… where is he now?"

"He left a small trail. It's my chakra, so we'll just follow it."

"Where are we headed?" Karin asks.

"It goes south."

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

_I narrow my eyes at the still figure. I dare run my tainted fingers through elegant hair. _

"_Are you teasing me, dear apprentice?" I hiss. "For a moment I thought you'd jump awake. But I see otherwise."_

_My fingers leave the dark, dark hair and trails down to the temple, across the forehead and down the dainty nose. The trail brings my digits to the cheek, down to the feather-soft lips and the petite chin. "Those children will come for you." I bring my hands down and trace the soft, elegant neck and the small curve of the neck and shoulder. My fingers venture down once more, crossing the porcelain-like skin to the dip between the collarbones. "Even though you tried, you ended up gaining your brother's love once again. Against your will, people loved you." My fingers cease their quest, as a white cotton sheet blocks their pass. _

"_You will bring me the Kyuubi, and I will unite the world as it should be."_

_Slight shivers run up my arms and I smirk. "That was fast. They must be desperate." I gently slip the oxygen mask back on to the pretty face._

_Forgetting the doll-like figure for now, I quickly grab my mask and slip it on, making my way out of the cave. I need not worry. This place is sealed. No one gets in. I smirk wider as I mentally prepare to confront the Kyuubi and his companions. I'll have to take their attention far from here, where the havoc of our soon-to-be battle shall not disturb the sleeping beauty. Not that it will, since he's in a coma, but that's not the point… _

_Those children came here, thinking they would leave with their beloved Itachi, but in the end, I will have both the Kyuubi and the apprentice I trained so well. _

_Hmm, how I love the laws of quick thinking… _

_Out of the cave behind the waterfall and over the thick forest, I travel at the speed that shouldn't be possible. _

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Itachi's Point of View:

The man's voice is familiar, so frighteningly familiar. He speaks from above me, his voice low and too calm. Where we are I have no idea, but I know he must know me. He's so close to me and I feel that I should know him, should be able to put a name and a face to this deep voice. And I know I can, but right now that can wait. I am a little more concern with the rough fingers travelling the spans of my neck. I'd easily mistake the touch for a loving caress, if it wasn't for the anger and disturbing feelings I get form the touch. The man speaks to himself, or maybe he speaks to me, I cannot know for sure. His words slip from my mind and I don't understand what he wants.

I woke up but a few minutes ago, in this slight but living body. I don't know what made me feign sleep, but it seems to be the way to go. This man looming over me is dangerous and not to be trusted, I know that. It's hard work to keep breathing like a person would in their sleep, but I can do it; it seems that my body works better than my mind.

"That was fast. They must be desperate," the man says. I feel a slight feather touch of movement as the man's scent drifts away and out of range. He's gone, where I wonder.

My eyes slip open slowly and darkness meets me. A tiny surge of anxiety makes my heart jump and I blink several times. Still… darkness clings to my sight and I realise with a silent wail… that I am blind. No, no… No! The air around me is damp, and there's a far away sound of water. I'm near a water fall and in a cave most likely. Which means that I may not be blind at all, perhaps just surrounded in darkness.

I have to go, far away before the man comes back.

I bring my right hand up and carefully trace the cooling object covering the bottom half of my face, before pulling it up and over my head. The air suddenly gets denser and harder to breath, but I manage. Sitting up slowly, I swing my legs over the side of whatever I have been lying on. A fleeting dizzying sensation hinders me, but only moments later do I stand lightly on my feet. A tingle shoots up my legs and I look down. Pale flesh stretches up and up and I realise I am bare. With zombie-like movement, I turn back and grab the large white sheet and cover my body with it.

There's a haze-like confusion and disbelief in my head. I… am not sure what's happening. I don't know where I am at the moment, but I feel like I do. I know who I am and what I should be doing right now, but… is this a dream? I am meant to go to someone, should I do that now? Curiosity buzzes in my mind.

I need to get a grip of reality, and I don't know how…

The sheet is large enough to wrap around me many times… and I do so clumsily. My body is calm and clueless. With my hands out in front of me like a shield, I stumble around until an opening in the wall is felt. I don't hesitate in stumbling forward and fallowing where the stone walls lead me. The inside of this place agitates me, and the thought of getting out is pleasing. There are many sharp parts to the wall I cling to, and my hands are bruised and bleeding, but the stinging pain is nothing compare to what I feel when the sound of the waterfall becomes a roar. It's deafening. The smell of fresh air engulfs me and my skin tingle with the spray of tiny water droplets.

And yet… my eyes see nothing.

I see flickers, every few seconds; flickers of movements and flickers reflection. And though my eyes cannot aid me, my body knows so much. I channel something to my feet, its chakra, my thoughts provide. I've used this before and it flows through my body so easily, if not wearily. I see. I feel things around me and they form a picture in my head. Surely the image is not clear enough to be helpful at all, but I see enough to know that I am a long way up from the ground. The deafening roar of the waterfall puts a slight ache in my blurry mind, but it is not enough to fully awaken me.

And so I wander…

I keep my hands on the wall to my right while my feet take slow, careful steps on the thin, dirt path on the side of the cliff. The cooling spray of tiny droplets lets me know that I am still in the shadow of the waterfall. After a few long minutes of clinging to the dirt wall, I finally feel the path tilt downwards, steeper and steeper until it became flat once more. And the feel of lush grass has never felt so good under my toes. The waterfall merges into a wide river a few yards away from where I stand. But I have no desire to follow the river. There… There is something I must do. It's important, I think.

I remember… everything… but something happened. Something happened in a large clearing, a lush field; that must be where I am to go.

My eyes leave their job to the chakra spread from my feet. I would walk, my feet carrying me to where they last stood. When ever I get too close to a tree or something else, a tingle shoots up my arms and I know to be careful. The large sheet slips now and then, but the hunger is the bigger problem. My stomach sucked and makes gurgling noise.

So deeply into seeing the ground through my chakra that I did not notice I am in the middle of the field until a caw of a crow stopped me.

The breeze blows strongly all around me and the grass sways to its will. Something slaps against my back and I realise it's my hair, long and starkly dark against my too pale skin. The breeze continues to blow past me, but there is something else here. A scent, I faintly realise. It's the smell of sweat and musk, earth and smoke. I know this scent. I should know.

Dread and total devastation floods through me mercilessly. The horrendous feelings cling to me, ate away at my weary bones and drag me deep into hell.

"You selfish boy," I mutter to the wind, to myself and to the boy I can feel standing merely yards away from me. "What have you done?"

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

Sasukes Point of View:

"_From the moment he was born, his life's been marred by the ugly truth of war and death."_ My ancestor's voice echoes in my head. _"And because of that he seeks peace and harmony before he even knew what those words meant. He wanted it bad, wanted it so much that he'd kill his own kin."_ Blood slowly seeps from the little wounds I made from my nails… and I relish in the reality that the pain brings. There is no way for me to block out his haunting voice, and I don't try, because only through his harsh words that I finally start to realise that Itachi was, is, someone that I will never fully understand, let alone be an equal to. _"He was tortured, trapped in an endless prison of his own weakness. How can someone like you, young and selfish, even begin to imagine his pain, what it was like for him to hate violence with a passion, only to be born into a clan that lived off of violence? From the moment he was born, Itachi was never meant to live a happy life. He knew it, I knew it… even the Hokage and the villagers knew it. But you, little boy, was the only one stupid enough to love him."_

Silent, painful droplets of salty tears run down my pale cheeks. The wound on my palms are not enough. I've come too deep into this web of lies and death, and now I have forgotten how to turn back. My only option, only hope for some peace, is to move forward.

"_You loved him, worshipped the ground that he walked on. This whole mess was all set up, written in stone long before you were born. It was a flawless plan, fool-proof, meant to end a mess and create another one. But you, you put a dent, no… you put a canyon into that plan when you came and showered him with all your childish affections. You gave him love, when he should have only gotten cold, deadly hatred. You, in all of you foolish, childish naiveté, made him love you. He loved you, loves you still… and he didn't heed my warnings, when I told him that you would be his downfall. He played you, you know? He played you real good. In the end… he got what he wanted. He knew he'd never be happy, and he didn't bother to hope. The closest he got to being happy was when you charged at him, hoping to kill the only man who ever genuinely loved you." _

"_He had nothing left. The only thing that he could hope for… was death"_

I freeze mid-step as the taunting words of my ancestor becomes too much. What was Madara trying to do by bombarding me with these harsh words? What the hell would he gain? The bastard's already started a war all because he can't kidnap a boy all by himself; now what the hell does he want with my brother? I don't know what to do anymore, but I know I just can't do nothing.

"You selfish boy, what have you done?"

I snap my head up so very fast I nearly apologise to my neck for the abuse I put it through.

I nearly drop to my knees and wail at the sight before me. Everything in me, every string of nerve, every cell in my muscle draws towards him. It's a powerful, unbreakable desire to be near him, with him.

"What have you done?" He asks again, but his voice is no longer soft and weary, but angry and unforgiving. "You stupid, stupid boy!"

Despite his harsh words of anger, a smile creeps onto my face. The inside of my chest tingles with excitement and joy, and my smile only get bigger. Maybe it was the excitement, or maybe it was the need to know that he's real and alive, but for whatever reason I find myself gliding forward, closing the distance between us and gathering him in my arms. And he is so very real. He's solid and warm in my arms. If that isn't proof enough, then the pounding fists on my chest sure as hell is. There is so much anger in his attacks, but I find I can do not much more than hold him close. He starts yelling into my chest and I smile more; even his yells are soft and luring.

"You," he snarls. "You did this! How can you do this to me? You're messing with the laws of life and death here… and that's something you cannot do. You know this more than anyone." I wince; it wasn't like I've never tried to bring my parents back to before. He suddenly goes quiet and releases a sigh of breath. "I'm so tired, otouto. I want to rest… so much." His lithe body goes slack and threatens to slip from my grip. I hold on tighter.

I lean down to his ear and whisper. "Stay with me, Nii-san."

He releases a long, deep breath that sounds like a mix between a groan and a wail. Suddenly, too sudden for me to react in time, he slides down through my arms and onto the grass below. Watching him slide from my grip is like watching a god, someone you worship, walking down the gallows. It's just like watching your whole entire world crumble before your very eyes… and there is nothing that you can do about it.

"Aniki?"

He looks up at me through thick, long lashes, his gaze unfocused and I know he's lost his sight. His arms are behind him, supporting his weakened form. He offers me a tiny, soulless smile. More than anything I recognise that smile, no… not the smile, but rather the look in his blind eyes. He's giving up. This is my brother giving up all hope, even the hope for death and peace. "Aren't you…" I start. "Aren't you glad? You're not dead… you should be happy!" I don't mean to sound so angry, but how can I not? Why isn't he happy?! "We've brought you back… I've brought you back aniki. Why…"

He looks up at me, as best as he can while being blind. His abyss-like eyes stare in my general direction, but I can easily see that they are not focused on _me_. "All is well, Sasuke. Let's go home already."

"No, we're not going anywhere until we sort this out."

He settles back on the ground, blind eyes staring over my left shoulder. "I wasn't holding on," he says. "I realise that now. It wasn't me that holding on. I wanted to move on. I wanted to rest in peace. Yet you… you held on to me with an iron grip. How can I move on… when you won't let me? And now… you've brought me back into this world; this world that is full of war and chaos."

I sit down in across from him, my chest heavy with realisation.

"But I'm not ready to let you go, you must've known that."

"No. You said it yourself. What we had wasn't something natural. You wanted to forget it and move on, find a decent young woman. You said it, remember?"

What can I say to that? The best that I can do is look away. I swallow what tastes like grief in my throat. "Why didn't you tell me about Yuuta?"

"I… only imagined what you'd have done to him."

"He's my son, aniki. He's my baby." My sensitive hearing picks up the sound of his heart beating faster.

"What do I have… to give him now? I'm without sight, useless to raise a son who grows too fast."

"That's not true."

He smiles at me a sad, dead smile. "I was so very ready to go, to rest at last. I'm so tired."

I am not ready to let him go. And even thought he's so tired of living, so tired of this world that he's too good for, I'm still a selfish boy. "I love you, aniki. I've never been able to tell what was real and what was not n the past, but this is one thing that I know is real. I know that this is real. God, and you're just gonna take that away from me?"

"Hmm, you really are selfish."

"I know." My chest suddenly feels so much lighter, and I know he's thinking less suicidal thoughts. "Come back with me, to us, and if you're so damn miserable that you can't even get up in the morning, then… I'll kill you myself. I promise."

"Then what will you do?"

I don't answer, I don't need to.

And then we went home. There wasn't mush to it. I gently, but hurriedly guided my brother through the thick forest, only to meet up with Naruto and the girls near the village gate. Naruto had burnt wounds, Karin was cradling her arm, which I suspected was broken and Sakura limb on the dobe's shoulder. And I never realised how much they could've cared for Itachi until I saw their faces when they saw my brother. My beloved brother, whom I've pulled out from death's grip just because I'm selfish, my beloved brother… who's just too good for this world.

* * *

=_=


	25. END

Hello everybody,

This is me, author of **Forget Your Brother Not**. If you're reading this then that means that you've been waiting all this time for an update, and I want you to know first up that this is not an update. There won't ever be an update to this story every again… because it has been remodelled. Soon I will post a story called **Yours Truly, Desperately**. It is the reconstructed version of FYBN. It has a plot, the characters are in-character, the grammar is better (I hope) and I have every intention of finishing it til the very end because I already have a detailed plan for it.

So I want to say thank you for waiting all this time, and so sorry for having disappeared for so long without a word. I really hope that **Yours Truly, Desperately** makes up for it.

Now for something important. You get a say in whether or not there will be M-Preg in the new version. As you all, there is M-Preg in FYBN, but I know that some of you only barely tolerate it. I personally don't really care, but I want readers to feel comfortable.

So, review this note and tell me very clearly whether you want M-Preg or not in the remake of FYBN. As soon as possible, if you can...

Thank you everyone for your patience and support.

Devi


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